((So here it is. The culmination of two years' worth of writing and one of my proudest personal achievements. Sit tight; this is one helluva long finale...))
Final Hour:
"Rizem! Sky Bison approaching from the city! They're trying to find a way in!" Hajar shouted above the deafening clamour of the cannon's energy beam which was still firing at the portal, draining its immense energies little by little.
Jahn's father looked up as he slid his extra knife into the sheath on his heel. "Knock them out of the sky; we're most vulnerable from the air," he ordered. The cannon was firing from a large cave opening in the side of the mountain, which allowed them to fire down on the portal with nothing to block the beam. This did, however, mean the Airbenders could fly right in and stop them.
Rizem grabbed the nearby speaker and pressed the button. "All benders, fire on the Bison! They must not reach the cannon!" he shouted down it, hearing his voice echo throughout the metal base they'd carved through the mountain. It was similar to his father's Liberator base in the Northern Water Tribe, though considerably more robust.
From small ledges all around the mountain, carved by their Earthbenders, the Red Lotus and Liberators were taking positions. They were made up of all benders except Air, though the Liberators had two Airbenders still inside. They were on cannon defence, along with his most elite fighters.
He could sense the mountain abuzz with activity. It wouldn't be long until the-
A Sky Bison flew past the cave opening quickly, the huge tail propelling it past as it dodged the fireballs and water whips sent its way. Rizem snarled; this was the riskiest part of his plan, though they only needed to hold off until the portal was destroyed.
"They're too damn fast!" Hajar shouted back into the cavern as he span round, water from the nearby urns flying into the sky. Changing tactics, he flicked his fingers out quickly; the water became ice shards which struck more accurately. One bison caught a smattering of ice on one back leg, forcing it to descend quickly with a bellow of pain.
Rizem looked around, scanning the cavern; it was sizeable, large enough for at least three of the cannons and a small army to squeeze inside. If the Airbenders got in, he'd need some defences. At least the cannon was keeping them at bay; a good portion of the entrance was blocked by the enormous orange beam firing down at the spirit portal all that distance below.
"Keep it up! Don't let them in!" Rizem shouted, taking a small knife from his belt and aiming carefully. As one Bison flew past, he pulled back his arm and let fly. The knife twirled into the open sky, seemingly at random, though the Bison flew straight into it and the knife embedded into its middle-right paw. The animal cried out and had to barrel-roll to avoid a large boulder sent flying at its head.
So far so good. A few measly Airbenders couldn't stop them now.
"They've stopped fighting," Lin said in amazement, her usual frosty demeanour totally disregarded.
All across the battlefield, the humans and spirits were gazing at the spirit portal in total shock, abandoning their battle as they wondered what to do next.
Asami nodded. "We've got a different problem. If Rizem has synced the battery with the cannon, he can theoretically drain the portal's energy completely. If that happens…"
"The portal will vanish and the spirits will eventually lose their ties to the energy that keeps them alive. I know. We need to stop this," Jahn said quickly. "Asami, you need to convince the spirits into helping us stop Rizem."
The President looked at Jahn, mouth agape. "I…why me?"
"Would you rather Beifong did it?" Anik said without thinking, shrugging when she glared at him. "Hey, it's a fair point," he said, earning a shrug from Lin.
"You want me to walk into a spirit army? Are you crazy?" Asami asked Jahn incredulously. "I won't do it. Even you tried to stop them and failed," she said sternly with an angry look.
Jahn raised his hands to his face in exasperation. "I can't! As soon as Jinora reports back, we're heading straight to stop the cannon. You're the only one with the authority to talk to both armies and make them see sense!"
Tilia nodded. "Asami, you trust me right?" she asked, smiling when the President nodded. "If Jahn thinks you're the only one that can do this, it means you are. I trust him like you trust me. Just take a deep breath, you're just panicking."
Asami frowned. "Tilia, it's not a matter of trust. They attacked us; I can't just waltz in there. What if they attack again? I'll be the President who walked into a trap and allowed the United Republic to be destroyed."
Jahn stepped forward in anger. "That's not it at all! You're just choosing humans over spirits! You've got a choice between peace or destroying spirits and you're happy to let them all die! What would Korra say!?"
The President also stepped towards him quickly, though Lin placed a hand on her shoulder and held her back slightly. "Korra's dead! She's dead! And you're her replacement! I know she'd do the same thing as you but you're asking me to risk all our lives on the spirit's mercy! I won't do that, Avatar, not to save the lives of our attackers! The United Republic must come first."
Jahn looked like he was about to strike Asami, though he clenched his fists and turned away quickly, shaking slightly. Tilia shot Asami a look, full of irritation, as she stood by Jahn and hugged him from the side.
"President Sato, you're out of line," Kazon's voice said behind them. Jahn peered round, curious, as he'd never heard Kazon so stern before. The Fire Prince was staring at the President, a disappointed look on his face. "Do you really think the Avatar doesn't have the best interests of everyone at heart? He's one of your citizens. His home has been invaded. I understand that you feel the need to play it safe but more bloodshed will only destroy you all. Look at what you face; you were never going to win this fight. If the portal is destroyed, the spirits will be desperate. You'll still lose. A chance for peace is never a failure, even if it doesn't succeed. You won't be remembered as the President who lost the city; you'll be remembered as the President who gave everything to save it."
Anik nodded in agreement quickly. Even Lin looked impressed; she glanced at Asami from the corner of her eye, who seemed to have slumped slightly. "He's right," Lin said quietly. "If even I'm saying talking is our best chance, I think that says something about our situation."
It took a few seconds before Asami sighed. "I…fine. Fine. But I want you there with me Lin. I wish we hadn't sent Mako and Bolin away but…I'll do it."
Jahn turned round, relieved. "Thank you. If you can convince them that we face a greater foe, they might put their differences aside for long enough to talk. That chance is all we need," he said, smiling hopefully.
"Jahn!" Jinora's voice said from above them. They all looked up instantly, surprised by Jinora's astral projection floating in the air. "We can't breach their defences! Pepper took a hit to her leg; we've been downed at the mountain's base. There's no way in except straight in through the air!"
"Jinora, stay safe! Tell the Airbenders to back off; nobody else needs to get hurt!" Jahn said hurriedly.
The radio on Lin's belt suddenly crackled to life. "Chief? We're in Taku! Facing some resistance from Red Lotus! We found their secret base entrance, though Bolin just melted half of it with his lava!" Mako shouted down the radio, the sounds of fighting in the background. "Sho-tahn, your left!" he shouted, sighing as they heard a fireball impact something soft. "Good job. Chief, what's the plan? The Sky Bison that dropped us off left as soon as we got here so we're pinned down."
Lin grabbed the radio, holding down a button. "Keep fighting Mako! Get inside their base if you can; it's a long walk to the cannon but see if you can divide their forces! Create a distraction!"
"Copy that Chief, Mako over and out!" the Firebender replied.
"Ok, we stick to the plan," Kazon said, taking charge. "Lin, Asami, talk to the spirits. If you can convince them to stop fighting, great. If not, do what you need to do. Mako, Bolin and the others will cause some carnage up in Taku, whilst we'll infiltrate the base and destroy the cannon."
Jahn, Anik and Tilia all nodded. "Good luck," Jahn said to the President and the ex-Chief of Police, who nodded back. Tilia hugged Asami quickly, patting her on the back with a teary expression.
"Ok Team Avatar, we're going to need a ride," Anik said cheerfully. "Any spare bison?"
Jahn jumped atop of Eyuta, who appeared out of nowhere, his camouflage disappearing immediately. "Thanks to Jinora and Tenzin, yes. Good luck everyone. This might be the United Republic's final hour, but this doesn't mean it's completely the end. I'll see you all soon."
The spirit army had parted like a great ocean, stepping aside in concern as Eyuta galloped towards the spirit portal. Above, a Sky Bison soared its way across the battlefield, following the Luxiyi's lead.
Jahn's eyes narrowed as he observed the strange cannon-fire, looming closer with every second. It had created a strange orange aura around the portal; they were draining the portal's energies but they'd had to charge up first. Clearly even firing the draining beam was requiring a lot of energy.
"Jahn!" Lin's voice shouted through the radio on his belt. "We're approaching the spirits now; if they agree to help, what should we tell them to do?" she asked, respecting his judgment for a change.
He grabbed the radio quickly, holding onto Eyuta with one hand. "Avoid the portal, attack the mountain, no killing!" he yelled back. As they neared the portal, the ground shook again and Eyuta's legs buckled slightly. He jumped into the air, surprising Jahn, who dropped the radio accidentally. As he looked back for it, they were already too far away to retrieve it. Gritting his teeth, Jahn charged onwards.
He could feel the strange lack of spiritual energy when they reached the portal; the air around them felt like it had been drained of oxygen. Jahn frowned; holding out his palm, he willed a flame into existence. Within seconds, however, it flickered and shrank quickly until it vanished.
"It's the bending too," he gasped. "If the portals are destroyed, our worlds are forever apart. We get our bending from that proximity." The Avatar stared up at the mountain as he realised, glowing brightly as the beam continued its work. He could feel all the past Avatar spirits rebelling at the sight; the Avatar existed as the bridge between worlds and by destroying all links between them, Rizem was trying to destroy the Avatar's very purpose for existing. All his past lives, from Wan to Korra, surged into his mind with a fiery determination to stop this awful act of separation.
"Eyuta! Yip yip!" Jahn shouted, his feet touching the Luxiyi's flank lightly. Eyuta reared up with a strange growl, pawing the air before landing and sprinting towards the mountain.
"Jinora, watch out!" Tenzin yelled, twisting his arms around. The air above Jinora swirled quickly, stopping the boulder dead and flinging it away from his daughter.
"Thanks dad!" Jinora shouted over her shoulder, trying to throw another boulder back with her Airbending. Realising it was too heavy to Airbend, she looked up just in time to dodge a huge ice spike which embedded itself in the ground where she'd been stood.
"We need to find some cover! Pepper's too exposed here!" her father shouted, spinning away from a fireball. The enemies dotted around the mountain were raining various bending down on them, finding them an easier target than the Sky Bison flying around.
Jinora nodded, though she was out of ideas. "Where do we…urgh…where do we go?" she asked loudly, holding her arm where she'd be struck by a small piece of rock.
Tenzin somersaulted over to her, clapping his hands together to form a whirring orb of air around them. "Back to Pepper! She might be injured but she can still fly one of us away; you get out of here and I'll hold them off!"
"What!? No! You take her, I can fly out of here!" Jinora said, nodding down to her wingsuit.
Tenzin was still focusing on maintaining the air around them, a bead of sweat rolling down his shaved head. "Jinora, honey, you're not flying anywhere with a bad arm. I'll be fine. On the count of three, run to Pepper and fly away from here!"
Jinora was at a loss. She knew Tenzin was right; she couldn't fly with an injured arm, but leaving him was no option against these odds. "No," she said resolutely. "I'm not running anymore. I'm sticking with you," she said with a determined expression. "We can do this. I love you Dad."
Tenzin sighed but a faint smile flickered across his irritable face. "I forget you're a grown woman now," he murmured. "Ok, but we need to act fast. Ready? Three, two…I love you sweetie," the Airbending master said as he allowed the winds to vanish. They dived forwards immediately as a huge chunk of rock smashed into the ground. Flames licked their heels as they ran towards where Pepper lay, rumbling in pain as she held her injured paw off the ground.
The back of Tenzin's neck tingled with fear, running up to the top of his head within half a second. He knew that sensation and he knew what was coming. Grabbing Jinora tightly, he leapt sideways quickly, a gust of air propelling them away as the lightning made the ground literally explode behind them. They were showered with dirt and pebbles, landing on the floor heavily.
A rumbling made them look up, dazed but alive. An Earthbender was sliding down the slopes towards them, skiing on a single rock. He leapt off, slamming into the ground with his fists. Two large boulders rose up and the bender kicked out powerfully; the boulders flew towards them but Tenzin pushed them aside with a strong slice of air that he kicked back.
"Nothing personal!" the Earthbender shouted to them. "It's just revenge for stopping us last time! The Red Lotus will rise again, stronger than ever, ready to-"
A figure appeared as if from nowhere, feet extended as he sped in from the sky. The double dropkick collided with the Red Lotus in the side of his head, dropping the man like a ragdoll. He fell sideways quicker than Jinora thought possible, a tangle of limbs as the attacker tumbled down with him.
As the attacker clambered to his feet, a Sky Bison flew down towards them, roaring its entrance. They both recognised Lefty, so when Kai stood up and looked down at the Red Lotus member, Jinora's heart soared.
"Leave my family alone," Kai spat at the unconscious Red Lotus member. "You ok?" he asked Jinora and Tenzin with a grin.
They nodded in unison. "We are now," Jinora said with a loving look at her husband.
The bison dodged the burst of fire, rolling crazily as they all hung onto the saddle desperately. The mountain was so well guarded; it was clearly peppered with tunnels as the Red Lotus and Spirit Eaters were covering the slopes like a rash.
Tilia's stomach churned as the bison straightened up. Anik was laughing but Kazon looked just as ill as she felt; he hated flying as much as she did. The Airbender in control was unknown to her, though he flew the bison remarkably well. Below, she could see Jahn and Eyuta trying to climb the slopes, although the sheer verticality and the barrage of elements being thrown from above were hindering their progress.
"We need to give Jahn some help!" she shouted, pointing below. The Airbender nodded, patting the bison's head and pointing down. The animal rumbled in response, diving low. Kazon knelt, punching a fireball at a Red Lotus member concealed in his tunnel entrance. Anik grabbed an ice spike from the air and span it round the bison as they flew, blocking various attacks before the ice shattered. Tilia snatched a handful of the small metal balls from her bag, flicking them at high speeds at any figure she could see, occasionally knocking some down as they soared past.
"Guys! It's too steep!" Tilia heard Jahn yell as they flew just overhead. She span round, grabbing the back of the huge saddle as she peered over. The Luxiyi was jumping down the small cliff he'd climbed, knowing there was no way up. Above, the small defending army renewed their attacks with renewed rigour when they saw Jahn retreating.
As they flew round, they angled away from the mountain slightly. Ahead, two Sky Bison were taking off from the ground, one of them wounded in the paw. Their bison drew closer, allowing them to spot Kai, Jinora and Tenzin. "Good to see you're still in the air!" Anik shouted over to them. Jinora waved back, her hand pale against the darkened sky. Thunder continued to boom throughout the clouds, making it almost impossible to hear attacks coming.
Kazon stood suddenly, his fear of flying vanishing instantly as he spotted something behind them. Tilia frowned; the sky seemed even darker than normal, though that could simply be a trick of the light. She squinted, trying to see what Kazon had spotted.
In one of the alcoves carved into the mountain, another figure had appeared. Dressed in strange robes and wearing a mask, the figure had pushed the Red Lotus member aside and was swaying back and forth, sparks dancing from the Spirit Eater's hands.
"Everyone down!" Kazon yelled a split second before the lightning split the sky, screaming towards them within a split second. The Fire Prince reached out and grabbed the lightning with one hand; it raced down his arm and through his chest, quickly followed by searing pain. The bison turned, almost tipping Kazon off, though his focus was absolute. His other arm stretched out and the lightning erupted from this hand. It tore a jagged path through the air, crashing into the mountain above the alcove. The explosion was incredible; huge rocks and rubble cascaded down on the enemy, burying them instantly.
"Incredible!" Anik cheered loudly. Kazon smiled for a second, though his face went curiously blank and he slumped down. Anik and Tilia caught him, shocked. The fabric on his arm was burned away, the skin underneath burned quite badly. "This…really hurts," Kazon said through gritted teeth.
"Spirit Eater bending, it's more powerful than ours…" Tilia whispered. "We need to get you to some healers."
"No. We need to get this finished," Kazon replied, shaking his head. "I'll just stick to deflecting fire from now on though, if that's alright," he said with a painful smile, eyes watering slightly.
Anik chuckled. "What, not going to help with the water?" he asked sarcastically.
"Whoa!" Tilia said loudly as the bison banked tightly, avoiding a large volley of ice spikes. "We're still not safe and we're running out of time! We need to stop that cannon and sort out the bad guys after," she said, looking over at the huge opening in the mountain where the beam was emerging from. There was plenty of space to fly in without even touching the beam, though the Red Lotus and Spirit Eaters were greatest in number there.
"Let's grab Jahn and work something out," Anik yelled into the wind as the bison dove. The Airbender leaned sideways, the bison following suit as a plume of fire burst towards them. "We could burrow through the mountain?" Anik continued, as though nothing had happened.
"No time," Kazon replied sharply, holding his injured arm awkwardly. "Only way is straight in. There's Jahn! Look!" he said, nodding ahead.
Eyuta was bounding around, avoiding numerous boulders and ice shards. The defenders were clearly targeting Jahn and despite his impressive bending skills, Eyuta was hard-pressed and seemed to be tiring. Indeed, when they drew near, the Luxiyi's camouflage was flickering as though he was too tired to control it.
The bison landed nearby heavily, already pawing the ground nervously. Tilia vaulted the saddle edge, sliding down the enormous tail and hit the ground running. From behind, Anik and Kazon were bending water and fire over her head, blocking any incoming missiles. Eyuta spotted her and began to bounce over, though Jahn's attention was elsewhere.
"Jahn! We need you to help us get inside!" she shouted, not daring to get any closer. The Avatar heard her voice and looked over, patting Eyuta's neck as the Luxiyi jumped over to her side. Jahn jumped off the Luxiyi and stopped a boulder mid-flight, holding it in the air with his bending before roundhouse kicking it back towards the cliff it came from.
"What's the plan? Eyuta's tired and I can't find a direct way up," Jahn said in an annoyed tone.
"We fly in. You'll have to send Eyuta back, where it's safe," Tilia replied quickly.
Jahn's face showed he was clearly not pleased with her suggestion. "But we look out for each other. He always had my back and I've got his," he said, a hand affectionately on the Luxiyi's side.
Tilia groaned. "I know, I know in the Spirit World you two had to protect each other but you'd only get him hurt. Our best bet is if Eyuta gets to safety so we can fly in."
Jahn frowned. "But…I…" he stuttered, unsure how to take Tilia's exasperated expression.
Before she could smack some sense into him, a shadow fell across them as another chunk of mountain was thrown high into the air, soaring in a graceful arc towards them. Tilia leapt forwards without thinking, slamming her right heel into the ground and raising her arms above her head. The ground in front of her rose up in an enormous earth shield, blocking the rock and covering them with dust as both the rock and her shield exploded into rubble.
"I thought you couldn't bend large amounts of earth like that!?" Jahn asked, amazed.
"I normally can't! It's apparently only when I'm pissed off! Get on the bison, you idiot!" Tilia snapped as she span back around.
Jahn didn't argue. He gave Eyuta a quick hug on the snout and said something to the animal quietly. He tickled behind one ear affectionately and nodded as the Luxiyi seemed to melt into nothingness, its camouflage making it completely invisible, save for Jahn's bag which was slung across its back. Jahn watched for a few tense seconds as the bag bobbed away, certain Eyuta had managed to escape the firing range.
The Avatar suddenly turned, grabbing Tilia's hand as they ran back to the bison. Clambering up the tail, they fell into the saddle and the bison immediately took off, just missing the burning oil that splattered where it had been standing.
"Hey, they stole our oil idea!" Anik remarked before giving Jahn a quick hi-five. "Welcome aboard to Flight 3019, destination Certain Death with a quick refuelling stop at Probable Agony. Please be aware, there may be turbulence. I hope you enjoy your flight."
Rizem watched the chaos with little interest. Half his attention was on the cannon, as he hoped the battery would hold out until the portal was drained. Once it was, he'd have enough spiritual energy to level cities. Not that he wanted to; he'd simply use that energy to bargain for their redemption. They'd all see, after a time, that he was right. Still, the United Nations were about to be destroyed, so he wouldn't find any love from the remnants of the broken nation after all this was done.
"Rizem, we're successfully repelling the Airbenders! How long before the portal is destroyed?" Hajar asked, running up to him.
Rizem shrugged. "It won't be long now. As long as you keep them out, the cannon will do the rest. We'll just have to be patient. If my estimations are correct, the Airbenders will continue to skirt the mountain but they won't have the strength to actually infiltrate us."
Hajar nodded. "They're doing exactly what you expected. Although it would appear as though you underestimated the battle; the spirits aren't attacking them anymore."
Jahn's father frowned. "They're not? What's happening down there?" he asked, walking over to the edge of the cliff and looking down, shielding his eyes from the bright beam over to his right.
"They seem to be facing the city, although I'm not sure why. All our forces are here or in Taku. Maybe we should have left some down there?" Hajar asked, though Rizem shook his head. "Not necessary. They're still preoccupied."
Hajar nodded, although he frowned as Rizem turned away. "Erm…they seem to be moving. Towards us."
"Who?" Rizem asked, freezing on the spot.
"….all of them. The United Forces and all the spirits. They're literally charging this way en-masse," Hajar said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
He couldn't see Rizem's face, though the man eventually shrugged. "No matter, we'll be done before they arrive. We're well fortified. Nothing's strong enough to stop us in here."
Rizem took one more step into the base, though before he could take another, Hajar spoke again, his voice now full of alarm. "Rizem! Get down!"
He immediately dropped to the floor, landing on his arms in a push-up position, ready to grab a knife from his belt as a Sky Bison roared overhead, the air pulling Rizem in as it passed over. It landed in the cavernous base heavily, skidding sideways as his allies immediately started to attack. The figures on the back managed to deflect all attacks, however, bending quickly to avoid harm.
"I told you not to let any in!" Rizem shouted around him as he stood up. In truth, he was extremely irritated; apparently some Airbenders HAD found the courage to charge them, contrary to his plans. He hated being made a fool of. "No bison! Any one of them could be carrying the Av-" he shouted, until Jahn leapt from the back of the bison and knocked five Red Lotus back onto the floor with a strong gust of wind.
"Yeah, that sounds about right…" Rizem glumly muttered to himself, taking a knife from his belt.
Jahn straightened quickly, his eyes fixed on his father. A frown was prominent on his face, an expression he'd not seen since before his father had left Taku. The man was worried.
Good.
The Avatar burst forward, the ground beneath his foot cracking with the force of his movement. The cannon was forgotten; all those years of loneliness, of rage against the man who walked out on him, they all came surging back at once, filling him with fire.
Rizem smirked as Jahn approached, one hand behind his back. The Red Lotus and Spirit Eaters around froze, unwilling to attack the Avatar but desperate to fight back. They turned their attention instead to the bison; Anik, Tilia and Kazon all leapt down, though the bison immediately took off and crashed through the line of attackers stood by the cliff-edge, knocking some off as it soared into the open air.
Jahn leapt into the air, fire erupting from his feet as he span down, a spiral flame enveloping him as he corkscrewed to the floor. Rizem span away to the side and Jahn crashed into the floor uselessly. He immediately kicked out with one leg as he pushed himself to his feet; the slice of air rushed horizontally along the floor. Rizem jumped, the air just missing his legs as he landed nimbly.
Behind, the team were hard-pressed from all sides. Kazon's arm was still hurt, so he could only brush off some fire attacks weakly, stepping back slowly as the Spirit Eaters advanced. Anik fared better, though he was struggling to bend much water due to the limited supply. Tilia was fighting the best; her Earthbending knocked many down and when the Firebenders became too much for Kazon, she thrust her hands in the air. The earth around rose up instantly, creating a solid, circular earth wall behind which they sheltered briefly.
"Jahn! The cannon!" Anik shouted loudly over the bending, though he couldn't see if the Avatar had heard.
He hadn't. Jahn punched wildly, the flames bursting from his fist, though poorly aimed as they soared past Rizem and struck a Red Lotus member in the back, knocking her flat on the floor. Rizem saw the opportunity; he darted forward, the knife glinting in the light from the cannon.
"Argh!" Jahn cried out, immediately clasping his hand. A shallow gash had been sliced across the back of his right hand, oozing blood and stinging like a buzzard-wasp.
"Oh come on, you're better than this. Where's the finesse?" Rizem asked, clearly enjoying the fight despite himself.
Just as Jahn was about to jump forward once again, a clear voice cut through his anger. "No Jahn! That is not the way!" he heard Raava's voice say, mingled with the tones of Wan and Korra both.
He froze, watching his father closely. He was baiting him, getting his attention so that he wouldn't complete the mission. Jahn had played enough games. They could dance later.
The Avatar stamped one foot, the ground shaking underneath them. Rizem immediately jumped into the air, expecting to have his feet pulled from under him, though Jahn had pre-empted him. The air under his feet propelled him upwards until he was close enough to his father to spin round and kick him squarely in the chest with a flying kick.
Rizem fell backwards heavily, landing on his back with an 'oof'. The knife clattered from his hands as he lay winded, trying to rise. Jahn instantly ran to the cannon, looking up and down the massive machine for a weakness. It seemed impenetrable, so he allowed the Avatar State to activate, searching for Korra's Metalbending. When he clenched his fists, nothing happened, so he let the power fade.
"It's platinum!" he exclaimed, unsure of what to do. Even Korra couldn't help him now.
"Of course…it's platinum," Rizem wheezed, standing as he held one arm round his chest. "You didn't think we'd make this easy for you, surely. Give up Jahn, you're already out of time."
The Avatar raised his head defiantly. "No. Something you may have forgotten about me: I'm a bit stubborn like that."
Rizem's face contorted in anger. "Don't make me do this! Stop this now! I am your father!" he shouted furiously.
Jahn shook his head. "You gave up that title when you walked out on us. This is for mother," he said, turning back to the cannon.
Rizem snarled and fell to the floor, scrambling for where the knife had fallen. Jahn closed his eyes and sighed, trying to block out all emotions. His anger towards his father, his desperation to help his trapped friends, his grief for his lost loved ones. All forgotten. He was the Avatar, the bridge between the two worlds, with a clear goal in mind and in that instant, he was at peace within himself at last.
"Jahn. My power is yours, as is the Soul Shaper's. Use it. But do not forget; your own power is just as powerful. Become one with yourself Jahn and unite our worlds," Raava's voice blazed in his mind, filling him with purpose.
His eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense white light that flooded the inside of the mountain with its majesty. The knife, twirling through the air towards his back, completely froze as though it had impacted against an invisible wall, eventually tumbling to the ground uselessly. Jahn's hands were extended before him, his hands contorted as though he'd grabbed something immensely heavy.
Behind, Tilia seized the opportunity and threw the earth wall outwards, crushing three Spirit Eaters beneath the heavy rock. Kazon roared, his breath becoming fire which pushed two Red Lotus against the cavern walls where they stood, singed, until they collapsed. Anik span, his arms twirling as though he were dancing, the water from his pouches freezing and flicking out in tiny shards of crystal ice around the cavern.
Rizem grabbed another knife from his boot, though he stopped in amazement as he watched his son. Jahn's hands slowly pulled apart, inch by inch, though the cannon simply creaked and groaned in response.
"I told you, it's platinum! Not even you can bend it Jahn, nobody's that good an Earthbender!" Rizem shouted, half-impressed by Jahn's audacity.
Jahn's head turned so that Rizem could just see one blazing eye. "I AM THE AVATAR," Jahn's voice said, layered with hundreds of others in a deep booming tone. "JUST WATCH ME."
Rizem gasped as he watched the cannon shake and rattle, as though it were being moved. His eyes weren't failing him; the cannon started to rise ever so slightly into the air as Jahn focused on the tiny, almost impossibly small fragments of earth in the platinum. No matter how refined, how small, Jahn's power was finding those pieces and moving them. The cannon floated a metre in the air, the beam still firing down at the portal.
"Oh my…wow…" Tilia gasped as she spotted Jahn lifting the cannon up in front of him.
There was a terrifying pause as all was still, save for the beam, which suddenly stuttered and vanished as though it had been switched off. The orange light instantly disappeared as the beam cut off, releasing the portal in an brilliant explosion of green and yellow light.
"NO!" Rizem yelled, holding one hand out in desperation.
Jahn snarled, ripping his hands apart. The cannon, suspended in the air, literally ripped in half, the metal squealing and ripping away like paper as the barrel snapped off. The noise was awful; it reminded Tilia of nails on a blackboard. Within seconds, the cannon had been ripped apart by the Avatar's power, now simply huge chunks of platinum that crashed to the floor with huge booms, billowing dust upwards. The back of the cannon rolled over twice, a hatch snapping off as it finally lay still. An object fell from the hatch, still glowing orange and creating a shimmering haze in the air from the immense heat it was giving off.
The Spirit Eaters and Red Lotus around all froze, totally amazed by Jahn's display of impossible bending. From the very back of the cavern, a metal door crashed open and a man fell through, the front of his robes smoking slightly. Mako, Bolin and Sho-tahn ran through, hands all raised and ready for action, though they let them drop once they witnessed the scene before them.
"Oh hey guys! Nice job with stopping the destruction of all spirits and everything!" Bolin called over to them, waving.
"You did it!" Mako exclaimed with a surprised expression.
As Tilia smiled, relief washing over her body, she noticed a small number of the Spirit Eaters and Red Lotus backing away, disappearing into various doors and hatches along the walls. They'd obviously thought better than trying to mess with Jahn and his friends, she thought smugly.
The remaining forces took fighting stances, however, all facing Jahn in a semi-circle. Rizem was standing now, though his shoulders were slumped. "Oh Jahn, what have you done?" he whispered. "So many years…wasted. You've doomed us all to a world at war," his father said in a sad tone.
Jahn shook his head, his eyes dimming. "No. Peace is easily achieved; we just need to work harder at keeping it. People like you are the ones who doom our worlds."
Rizem shook his head. "You're wrong. One day I'll explain everything but not today. Not now. What you're going to let me do is walk over to that doorway," he said calmly, pointing his knife at the door Mako had opened, "walk through with my allies and leave without any more fighting. If you don't, I'm afraid you might get hurt in our haste to retreat and I honestly don't want that."
"Yeah right!" Anik scoffed loudly, drawing Rizem's eye. Upon seeing the Waterbender, he bared his teeth in anger.
"If it wasn't for your 'friend,' none of this would have happened!" Rizem half-shouted, his knife now aiming at Anik. Losing what little patience he had left, Rizem snarled and threw the knife quickly at the Waterbender, who stepped back in shock. The blade was only a few inches from his chest before it stopped suddenly; Tilia's hand was clenched as she grabbed the knife with her Metalbending.
Jahn had already taken a few involuntary steps towards Anik, also shocked at the sudden attack. Rizem took the opportunity gladly; he dived behind his Spirit Eaters and vanished from view as they prepared to attack. Jahn turned back to them instantly, ready to fight the small army alone, though he didn't get chance.
A shadow passed across the opening in the cliff, blocking out what little light was coming through the stormy clouds, as the entire mountain started to shake. The spirit army had arrived with a deafening clamour and they shook the ground as they continued charging up the side of the mountain by flying, crawling and bounding up the steep cliffs. They didn't enter, though they blocked the exit with a mass of limbs, still climbing higher up. The Red Lotus gasped, immediately either raising their hands in defeat or dropping to their knees. The Spirit Eaters, however, simply backed away into the shadows, fully aware that not even their enhanced bending could stop so many spirits.
Jahn frowned, unsure whether they were here to help or to attack. As he approached the cliff cautiously, the spirit mass broke apart slightly to reveal a huge shape hovering in the air outside, all four wings beating slowly. Qi-lóng nodded to Jahn, the great serpentine head lowered in respect.
"Avatar," came the dragon-spirit's voice. "You have done us a great service today and, speaking on behalf of all spirits, we are in your debt. While many of us would desire no humans in our world, a total separation would be a disaster for both our worlds. You have acted with nobility and because of this, we are willing to declare a ceasefire…if you give us the one responsible for this atrocity."
Jahn frowned. "That's not going to happen."
Qi-lóng's snout wrinkled, his teeth flashing quickly. "That was my advice to you, Avatar, when you needed it. Give him to us and we can have peace."
The Avatar shook his head. "No. We will have peace but this isn't the answer. If I give my father to you, you'll just kill him and there's been enough death. Nobody else dies; you either accept that or we'll have a problem. We'll make sure he's punished, along with the Spirit Eaters and Red Lotus, but nobody else dies," he reiterated.
The Great Air Spirit hung in the air for a moment, considering his words, before nodding slowly. "As you wish, Avatar. He is human, so humans shall sit in judgment of his crimes. I will speak with my fellow spirits to ensure they know a ceasefire is in place," it said.
As the dragon-spirit turned in the air, Jahn raised his uninjured hand. "Wait! What made you come to help?"
Qi-lóng's neck craned round so that one giant eyeball stared at Jahn. "Your human president is more influential than she knows. Though, in the end, we didn't come for her. We came here for you."
"Me?"
"A spirit spoke up on your behalf; you once saved them from your Spirit Eaters and healed their feud with a nearby human settlement. That spirit, working with a human named Kolu, convinced us to come to your rescue, Avatar. You have more allies than you thought," Qi-lóng said, beating all four wings and finally rising up out of sight.
Jahn smiled softly, pleased with his acceptance. With a ceasefire, they could work on ending the war completely. He turned back towards his friends, walking over steadily. Nearby, Rizem was on his knees, staring down at the floor angrily as his Spirit Eaters continued to abandon him. Jahn approached, heart beating quickly.
"So you saved my life. I suppose I should thank you," his father said in a sullen tone.
"You don't need to; I was never going to turn you over to them. Though I meant what I told Qi-long; you're going to jail and you're never coming out," Jahn replied seriously. He crouched down suddenly, staring his father in his eyes. "I don't need you. You might be my father but you're not my family. You hurt those I care about and killed some I loved. Kuvu, Saall…even mother is dead because of you. You're going to tell me exactly why you did this."
"Jahn! Behind you!" Kazon shouted loudly from his right.
Instinctively, Jahn ducked, just dodging the ice spike which pierced the air where his head had just been. He span, punching up with his good hand, as his legs straightened. His fist collided with Hajar's chin heavily, making him stagger back. His arms were encased in ice, forming two large jagged blades. The man shook his head, clearing his thoughts before lunging again. Jahn twisted away, the ice just clipping his clothes as he flipped forward, bringing a line of flame down on the Spirit Eater.
Hajar raised his arms quickly, blocking the fire. The ice held, shrugging off the flames as though it were simply air. He burst forward, right arm outstretched as he aimed for Jahn's heart. Jahn turned, the ice mere inches away as Hajar struck at Jahn's chest.
"No!" Tilia screamed. Jahn's back was to her, though Hajar's face was surprised. They all watched as Jahn's arm pushed out, his hand blocking the ice which was digging into his skin. He grabbed the ice around Hajar's arm, red blood from the back of his hand dripping onto the blue, before he pulled Hajar in and brought his other fist down, smashing the ice into millions of shards.
Hajar staggered back, his arm now free of the ice. Jahn saw his chance; he took a few quick steps, grabbing Hajar's mask and pulled it away. As the Spirit Eater's head yanked forwards, Jahn span round and smashed his elbow into his face, feeling the nose crunch instantly. Hajar toppled backwards, the ice around his other arm shattering as he crashed into the floor unconscious.
Jahn gritted his teeth as he looked down at his bleeding hand, unsure how to stop it. Looking up, he saw his father stood behind Hajar's body, his arms held out. In his hands, the energy battery spun quickly, rising into the air between them.
"Jahn! Get out of there!" Mako yelled loudly, rushing towards where Anik, Kazon and Tilia all stood, frozen in shock.
It was too late. Rizem grinned as the battery activated; the orange shield blossomed outwards, spilling over Jahn, Rizem and Hajar. It touched the rocky floor gently, obscuring them from view. Anik squinted as he could just see the outlines of the people within.
Jahn's silhouette suddenly snapped backwards, as though he was blown back by a great wind, though his feet didn't leave the ground. Tilia gasped in horror as she heard Jahn scream in pain. She immediately ran forwards, although Anik's hand reached out and grabbed her arm. "Wait! Look!" he urged, pointing at the energy shield.
The orange was starting to flicker, as though the battery was struggling to work. The bottom of the shield started to leech of colour, before turning a dark shade of green. As they gazed at the shield, the green worked its way up the shield until it nearly totally covered the shield completely. It neared the top, shaking the ground with the intensity of the battery's power, cracking the mountain. Huge chunks of stone and rock began to fall as the mountain shook.
"Erm guys, I think this is the part where we run away," Bolin said awkwardly, bending a boulder away from them.
Sho-tahn nodded. "I know enough about explosives to know that thing's gonna blow!" he stated loudly.
"We can't leave Jahn!" Tilia shouted, still reaching out. Anik pulled at her arm, shaking his head. "He's right!" the Waterbender shouted over the deafening noise. "We need to go!"
The shield around Jahn and Rizem had begun to glow, which only made the shaking worse. Mako looked over to the door at the back of the base, though his face fell when he realised the distance. "It took us ages to get through the base, there won't be time!"
Anik's face was worried, though he spotted something behind them all which made him grin happily. They all turned, just in time to see a Sky Bison soar over the shield and skid to a halt in front of them.
"Get on! Quickly! That thing's going to explode!" Jinora shouted from atop the bison.
"See!" Sho-tahn said, rushing forwards.
As they clambered on, the bison jumped up, treading air as they looked down. "What about Jahn?" Tilia asked loudly.
"No time! Go!" Mako shouted. Jinora nodded, patting the bison's head. The creature pulled forward, soaring over the shield and out into the open sky. The spirit army, which had just been swarming the mountain, was suddenly withdrawing quickly, fleeing along with the Red Lotus and Spirit Eater forces.
Inside the shield, Jahn faced his father, a determined look on his face. The shield had covered them, instantly trying to drain Raava's energy and remove her presence from Jahn.
"I'm sorry for the pain, Jahn, I really am, but you'll thank me for this. You never really wanted to be the Avatar, I know that. My sources told me that you always just wanted a normal life. Just give in and let go of the spirit. Be Jahn again," Rizem said, frowning as he watched Jahn fight the shield.
An orange aura had surrounded him, making his skin feel like it was on fire. He screamed in pain, feeling Raava's pain with him. He arched back, arms outstretched, mind numbed by the horrible sensation. He struggled to move as he felt Raava's song grow quieter and quieter. Despite draining Raava's power, the battery seemed to be shaking slightly as it floated in the air. Rizem stepped forward, a frown creasing his brow. He'd never seen it do that before.
Jahn's eyes snapped open, surprising him. "You're….wrong," he said between gasps of pain. He took one step forward before freezing once again. "I'm Jahn," he said again, taking another step. "I'm Raava. I'm…the Avatar too," Jahn continued, taking another step and another and another.
"How are you resisting? Is Raava that powerful!?" Rizem asked incredulously.
Jahn bared his teeth. "We are. Raava is strong…but we all have our own spiritual energy hidden within us. We are one, now and forever, and I'm ok with that. But can your battery really hold all that energy? A spirit portal, the Light spirit and my own?" he asked, only one step away from the battery. Rizem stared as he spotted the shield starting to turn green. "Everything has a limit. Let's find ours," Jahn said finally, placing his left hand on the battery, the energy aura around him turning a mossy colour before his eyes.
The green reached the top of the shield, which suddenly started to glow as the battery stopped spinning. The orange light shuddered as both it and Jahn's eyes started to glow green.
"Impossible!" Rizem shouted, unable to approach as the ground splintered and cracked around them. "Stop!"
Outside, the bison floated in the air as the light from inside the mountain became blinding. Anik, Kazon, Tilia, Jinora, Mako, Sho-tahn and Bolin all shielded their eyes, unable to watch for any longer.
Jinora gasped as she felt a shudder of spiritual energy ripple through the air. Squinting between her fingers, she had just enough time to see the light pulse once before the explosion tore the mountain apart.
All the energy contained within the battery had been too much to contain. Jahn's own energy, combined with Raava's and the leftover energy from the Soul Shaper, had ruptured the core of the spirit battery and released it all at once.
The mountain erupted into pieces, a gigantic plume of fire soaring into the sky as the very top was blown off in a colossal explosion of light and earth. Titanic pieces of rock flew outwards as the green light billowed outwards, forming a huge orb of light in the sky which threw out chunks of the mountain. Spirits fled away as the ground below was peppered with rocks; the United Nations army which had just arrived backed away quickly in fear. It was like a volcano erupting; the force of the blast knocked trees down and almost made the Sky Bison in the air flip over as the shockwave rippled through them all.
Lightning burst from the dark clouds above, colliding with the green light in a dazzling display of nature's power. As the dust started to settle and the broken, molten mountain started to rest at last, they felt drops of water on their skin as the clouds finally opened, the rain descending in a great wave.
"Jahn…" Tilia whispered, horrified. Tears started rolling down her cheeks unbidden, though she didn't brush them away. By her side, Anik looked equally as distraught, his eyes full of tears also. Kazon, Sho-tahn and Jinora simply looked shocked, whereas Mako and Bolin just seemed saddened.
"We need to go down. He might have survived," Anik said in a broken voice.
"Anik, don't…" Jinora said quietly as the bison roared into the dark.
"Take us down," Kazon said to Jinora. "Now."
Jinora sighed, though the bison descended carefully. There wasn't much flat land to actually land on as boulders littered the area. Finally, the bison touched down gently and they all leapt off immediately.
They could barely see in the dark, though Kazon lit a flame with his good hand. When Mako nodded at his burnt arm, the Fire Prince shrugged it off and moved away, searching for Jahn.
Tilia sniffed and wiped her wet hair out of her face as she walked away. It would be impossible to find anything in this mess. The dust was still hanging in the air in great choking clouds. Something could move directly next to her and she'd never even notice.
As if to prove her wrong, she spotted something to her right which made her eyes grow wide. A footprint suddenly appeared in the dust by her side, followed by three more. As she looked up, she saw Eyuta uncloak by her side, his camouflage flickering away as his majestic antlers and curious eyes came into view. One of those eyes swivelled to look at her, though she didn't know what to say. The Luxiyi was a mystery; she couldn't tell if it understood what had happened.
She opened her mouth to speak, though the animal lost interest in her. It walked forwards, pawing the ground twice as it sniffed the air, shaking its wet fur free of the rain.
"Eyuta…" she began to say, though the Luxiyi had sensed something. Turning its head slightly, it took a few more steps before standing still, as if waiting for something. Tilia approached, intending to take Jahn's bag from where it was slung around his neck. The Luxiyi refused her touch, however, as it stared ahead.
"Oh come on," she said irritably, about to reach out. Following the Luxiyi's gaze, she peered through the dark dust. "What are you even looking at?" she asked.
A figure slowly emerged from the dust, holding another in its arms. She gasped, her hands over her mouth as she watched Jahn stagger towards her, his father in his arms. As he neared, the Avatar fell to his knees, letting Rizem drop. Jahn's clothes were torn and scorched and part of his hair was still smoking, though Rizem was in a worse state. His face was burned along the cheek and down his chin, the skin rough and raw. His eyes were black and his arm was bleeding. Tilia couldn't see his chest moving, though she was too emotional to say anything.
Eyuta walked forward proudly, eventually nudging Jahn's shoulder as it stood over him. Jahn patted the Luxiyi weakly on the chest, his hand moving to the bag around his neck. "Thanks buddy," she heard Jahn said in a quiet, broken voice.
Tilia watched as he took a strange crystal from the bag and placed it on his father's chest. Jahn placed both hands on the crystal, closing his eyes as the shard began to glow. Tilia sensed someone approaching quickly behind her, so when she heard Anik gasp, she smiled slightly despite herself.
The glow from the crystal began to pulse visible waves across Rizem's whole body. As they watched, the burns started to fade slightly and the bleeding immediately stopped. The light faded after a minute, leaving Rizem considerably more intact than before. A ragged gasp slipped through his lips as his eyes flickered open. Jahn sank backwards, totally exhausted as he nodded.
Tilia approached slowly, hands clasped to her chest. "Jahn?"
The Avatar looked up slowly. "I'm so done with these explosions," he said with dazed eyes, making Tilia and Anik laugh with absolute relief.
The construction site was growing ever larger, though Jahn was pleased that this spot would be left forever natural. Asami had promised him that, as thanks for all he'd done. The shattered buildings around would be removed so that nature could take over. This would be the new Avatar nature reserve, right in the heart of the city, a place where humans, animals and spirits could co-exist. Asami had felt it important to rebuild with that unity in mind. The spirit portal was nearby, so the park would exist around the portal as a sign of good faith.
The grave was a basic one, though Jahn knew she'd have wanted something nondescript. Losing her to the Red Lotus felt like a lifetime ago, though he could still feel that hole in his chest where she used to be. He'd loved his mother with all his heart, though he'd continue to try his hardest to make her proud.
"I love you," he whispered down at the gravestone. "I always will and I hope you're proud of me," he said, placing the flower down on the grave and touching the gravestone gently.
Turning away, Jahn made towards the boundary, where reconstruction of the city had begun. The Battle of Platinum Mountain had been a month ago and the United Republic was already looking to rebuild their broken capital. Jahn had allowed the mountain's name to stand; everyone seemed to be talking about his proficiency at bending. In truth, it had been Raava's power that had allowed him to move the tiny chunks of super-refined metal in the cannon. Her voice had been quiet since the explosion, though he knew she was still somewhere within him. She'd nearly been ripped from him, so both Jahn and Raava seemed content to not speak about their close-call.
He'd been helping to rebuild parts of the city in the aftermath, among organising peace talks with the spirits, though he still felt weak from his ordeal. Kazon had been in the infirmary for two weeks, though he'd soon discharged himself. As he walked through the bustling construction sites, many people bowed to him or waved. He always waved back, though his mind was elsewhere.
Jinora and Tenzin had immediately reclaimed Air Temple Island, which was relatively undamaged compared to the carnage in Republic City. Their families were heading over from the Eastern Air Temple, now unhindered by spirit attacks. The spirits themselves had withdrawn to their world through the portal; news of the ceasefire was spreading fast, so Jahn felt it best that everyone had a cooling-off period. A week after the battle, he'd approached the portal and called for Krageah.
The lion-turtle had emerged through the portal and towered over him, now almost fully-grown. Jahn exchanged the obvious pleasantries, although he got straight to the point. "I need you to act as an ambassador for us, Ancient One. You're neither human or spirit; you're a perfect third party," he'd informed the lion-turtle. It had not denied his request. The lion-turtle had guarded the portal throughout the war and agreed to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Jahn agreed that freely roaming the worlds would be denied to both species for now; careful checkpoints at the portals would ensure a gentle reintroduction, for now. Trust had to be earned and Jahn knew it would take some time before life got back to normal.
His walk through the city led him towards the entrance to the underground jails. Those had been built first; a large number of Red Lotus and Spirit Eaters had been captured in the battle and resulting explosion and Asami had struggled to find anywhere to put them. The new Police Headquarters was being slowly built above, with Mako intervening continuously. "Wait, that office needs to be bigger! Much bigger! That'll be Chief Beifong's! If it's not twice the size of mine, I'll never hear the end of it!" Mako's voice came from across a room, making Jahn smile.
The guards allowed him to pass with no resistance. Jahn descended the steps carefully, holding a small flame out to see. The prisoners were quite far down, in the cells carved out by the Earthbenders to prevent an easy escape. When he reached the bottom, he walked down the corridor and nodded to the familiar guard as he approached.
"Back again Jahn? What makes you think he'll talk this time?" Kanro asked curiously, tugging at his beard.
Jahn shrugged in response, making Kanro chuckle. "Ah well, hopefully you'll get the answers you seek this time. Oh yeah, meant to ask you; don't suppose you know the reason Beifong put me down here? I'm no guard."
The Avatar smirked despite himself. "She said you should be used to sitting around underground being useless so you'd feel right at home," he said. "I mean, that is what you were doing when we first met."
Kanro sighed. "I knew I probably shouldn't have asked. I'll have a word with Mako once my shift is done. Anyway, go ahead," he said, nodding at the cell door, unlocking it with the heavy metal key.
Jahn entered slowly, taking a seat in the ground outside the metal bars where his father was imprisoned. Rizem was sat too, as though he was expecting his visit.
"So, are you ready to tell me?" Jahn asked. "My sister. The cannon. Why the hell you spent so many years making such a convoluted plan, only for it to literally blow up in your face."
Rizem sniffed but remained silent. Jahn leant forward, staring at his father. "You did this to yourself. If you're not going to talk, I'll leave you to your silence," he said, standing and moving for the door.
"She was only young," Rizem said, making Jahn freeze. He turned, surprised at the words. Rizem was staring at the floor, lost in his memories. "She was only one when she became ill. My little Irri. We didn't know the cause, though she suffered. Your mother and I looked for a cure, although the Wise Seer promised us she would die. Instead of helping, it just told us that my little girl was doomed. After medicines failed, I travelled to my father in the Northern Water Tribe to ask for his help. He was always incredibly powerful, so I thought he could heal her."
"Your father. My grand-father. He was the Spirit Eater we met in the library, when the mountain came down, wasn't he? He's gone now," Jahn said quietly, earning a nod from Rizem.
"He said he wasn't strong enough, but he would pray for her. I stayed there overnight, desperate to find a way to heal her. Before I fell asleep, a light appeared to me. The Moon Spirit spoke to me that night and promised me she could heal Irri. As my father was of the Northern Water Tribe, she would gift me Irri's life. All I would need to do is touch Irri's forehead with my finger and she'd be cured. I returned home, full of promise and hope, only to find that it didn't work. Nothing happened. That night, I screamed at the moon, asking why. A voice spoke to me and told me that another child was ill, a baby from the Tribe. The Moon Spirit's allegiance has always been to the Tribes above anyone else, so she told me that this other family had taken her gift for themselves because they were Northern Water Tribe and we were not. She could heal Irri, I said, it didn't matter, though the Moon Spirit told me that she had one gift, which had been used."
Jahn wiped at his eyes, understanding completely as Rizem started to cry softly. His own feelings were muddled considerably, as he realised that, in a cruel twist of fate, his older sister had died so that Anik could live. Despite his tears, the man continued to speak. "She took her gift away and so Irri was destined to die. My little girl. For a time, she was ok and we continued to exist as a family. In that time, I searched for a way to heal her, though I found nothing. When Irri was six, she started to grow weaker. The Wise Seer told us she would not see nine. It's a horrible thing, to see a child grow up, only to know she'll be taken before she can truly live. I left home once again, having heard of a possible cure. When I returned empty-handed, I found Saraa larger than before. She was pregnant with you. Soon after giving birth, she became ill. Vehrin had latched onto your spiritual energy, though I didn't know it at the time. With both Irri and Saraa growing weaker, and you just a baby, we tried to live as normal lives we could. Still, when you were just two years old, my little girl passed away," Rizem said, his voice shaking with emotion.
"She never woke up that night," he continued. "You didn't understand but you were too young. We buried her in Taku, though you wouldn't remember. We decided it best we not mention her until you were old enough to hear about what happened. Before we got chance, Saraa grew frail; her sanity started to fade. Between searching for a cure for her, caring for you both and grieving for Irri…it was too much. I left. I know I shouldn't have and I'm sorry, but I travelled back to my father to ask if he could help. There, I truly met the Spirit Eaters. They sympathised with my plight, as my suffering could have been avoided if the spirits had been kind. But I realised, they're not kind. They're just animals, taking as they please. Your sister died that night because a spirit chose someone else, because she decided to be cruel," Rizem spat, looking up.
Jahn was still. "No. Irri died because she was ill. The Moon Spirit is not to blame; if spirits didn't exist, you wouldn't have had any hope at all. I…my sister may have died, but I know one of my friends' got to live because of that gift. He lives with the guilt of his parents' decision every day, you know. I'm never going to tell him about this, because I know it would eat away at his soul. I know you were hurting, I do, but why go to such lengths with the Red Lotus? Why the cannon?"
"They were a test. Kairna came to me, looking for power. I saw potential in her but also greed. I told her of my plans and convinced her to kidnap Princess Akemi from the Fire Nation palace. When she came back to me, I told her that I'd turn her in if she ever betrayed me. The Red Lotus became mine, so when I heard of the Avatar, I staged a test. In truth, subduing Republic City would have been an easy starting point for the war. You stopped them, however, so I turned to the Spirit Eaters to start my war for me."
"Why war?"
"Throwing the world into chaos would show people just how evil the spirits can be. If they saw what I saw, they'd agree when I separated our worlds," Rizem said, his voice growing stronger, more determined. "Vehrin was a test to see if I could control spirits; when I realised they were too strong, too wild, I decided on separating our worlds so nobody else could be hurt by spirits. The only way to truly ensure they wouldn't interfere was to destroy the portals. Thankfully, Kuvira had already built something capable of creating them, so I just needed a way to do the opposite."
Jahn sighed. "So you heard of Kuvira's spirit cannon and started a war to distract from your activities. So many people are dead because of this war, a war you started because you were too bitter to forgive. Irri would be so disappointed in you."
His words made Rizem flinch as though he'd been struck. His mouth opened and closed, unable to find the words. Jahn turned away, his eyes closed. "Deciding I'd be better off without Raava was a decision nobody can make apart from me. You know, it's funny, because in trying to separate our worlds and trying to separate me from Raava, you've only made us all closer than ever. Still, you tore our family apart and you've hurt so many, all around the world. One day, I hope you understand exactly what you've done and the price we've all paid for your idiocy."
He yanked the cell door open and strode down the corridor, leaving Kanro to close it, grumbling to himself.
Anik laughed as he embraced Kuan, making Tilia smile. "You'll have to build it first!" she said happily to them.
"What's going on?" Kazon asked as he walked over, looking confused. His arm was wrapped tightly in a white sling, though he otherwise seemed in perfect health.
"We're going to move in together!" Anik exclaimed with a huge smile. "Although Tilia's right, we'll need to build a place first…"
"You're going to live in Republic City?" Kazon asked, surprised.
Kuan nodded. "We both feel as though it's a little too cold up north. Plus, Anik wanted to stay where his friends are," he said, making Anik look around in embarrassment.
"Aww" Tilia crooned, obviously touched. "I'll be hanging around, obviously. My family want to rebuild our home so I'll help them out with that."
"Are you sure it's not for some other reason too?" Anik asked, winking suggestively. Tilia blushed but didn't deny his insinuation.
"Oh, speaking of Jahn…" Kuan said quietly, understanding their insinuations and nodding behind Kazon.
Jahn and Jinora were walking over, talking quietly as Eyuta trotted alongside. Jinora was dressed in her full Airbending Master robes, whilst Jahn was dressed in smart green and gold tunic. Tilia dangled her legs off the broken stone wall she was perched on, trying to make her cheeks less rosy before Jahn arrived.
"Hey guys!" Anik said loudly as they drew near. "Busy talking politics?"
Jinora nodded. "We were just discussing rebuilding the city. Asami's obviously in her element and Bolin's actually proving to be very effective at construction, so it seems like everything's getting back to normal."
"Well giant ceremonies might be normal for you but I still get weirded out by them," Anik said, tugging at his formal Water Tribe suit. They were all due to attend the official celebrations as esteemed guests later, though they'd agreed to meet informally before the formalities began. "Still, it's nice we get some recognition. Hey Jahn, remember that time you did something good and they chased you out of the world? Yeah, good times," he said, trailing off. The others all laughed, Jahn chuckling as well.
"So, here we are," Jinora said finally. "End of the road. I guess we'll all be going separate ways after the ceremony."
Kazon nodded. "I'm going straight back to the Fire Nation. I've got some quality dad-time to catch up on with Akemi," he said, grinning widely.
Anik clapped him on the back. "You'll do great buddy," he said with a smile. "Kuan and I will be going home first; there's some stuff I want to straighten out with my father before we officially move back here. We'll be back once you've built our place for us," he winked to Jahn.
Jinora nodded. "I'll be between here and the other Temples for a while, so we'll be a busy Nation. There's a lot of people still struggling so you'll see a lot of Airbenders around the world," she said. "I know Aana and Ioran will want to know all about what happened, so I guess I'll spend some time with them first," she said with a bright smile.
"I'm not really sure what I'll be doing but there's still a lot to do. We need to solidify terms with the spirits and work out how to smooth things over, for a start," Jahn said. "There's still a few loose ends so I'll probably start chasing those up. Should probably go arrest Ornatok one of these days too..." he murmured to himself.
"Maybe go apologise to Wan Shi Tong for burning his library down," Anik suggested.
Jahn crossed his arms in a sulk. "Hate that spirit," he muttered grumpily under his breath.
They all stood, watching the sun slowly set behind the various beams and cranes across the city. The sky was ablaze with orange and yellow hues, dazzling them with its splendour. The spirit portal still beamed brightly into the sky, though the base seemed less vibrant than before the cannon attack.
"We should probably get going back to the Encampment," Kazon said at last. "We'll all be together again soon, I swear. You should all come visit the Fire Nation as soon as you get chance."
"Sure," Anik said cheerfully. "Sunny beaches, tasty food, what's not to love? Come on then Team Avatar! Praise and glory awaits! I heard we're even getting medals…" he said to Kuan as they started to walk away, hand in hand, looking over their shoulders at the others.
Kazon chuckled as he followed suit, Jinora right behind as she said "Actually, I think it's more of a hypothetical medal…"
Jahn chuckled as he heard Anik shout back "Give me all the gold!"
Tilia smiled at him and made to jump down from the broken stone wall. Before she could move, however, Jahn sat down beside her and watched their friends go. "Busy time," Jahn commented.
"Yeah, although it's nice to have some down-time first, right? Nobody trying to kill us or anything," Tilia replied.
Jahn chuckled. "You've definitely been speaking your mind lately. You've changed so much since we first met you."
Tilia looked down at the floor as she thought. "When the Red Lotus attacked, I helped Kazon out. He told me I could be anything I wanted to be and I guess, sometimes you just need to find the right kind of person to help you become whatever you want to be."
Jahn smiled. "You're definitely the right kind of person for me," he said gently. When Tilia blushed and smiled, he grinned even wider. "So I know we agreed to hold off on the mushy stuff but I-"
"You better not be proposing," Tilia said as she looked sideways at him. As Jahn stuttered in shock and nearly fell off the wall, she laughed. "I'm only messing. We'll take things slow; I don't know about you but I've had enough of rushing around."
"You're not wrong," Jahn muttered dryly. "Well I'm pretty sure we start off with a date. If…you know, you want to go on one?" he asked, totally aware of the lame way he'd asked.
Tilia pouted as she pretended to think about it. The sunset was making her hair look like fire, her eyes also shining brightly. "Sure," she said finally. "Although I pick the place."
"What place?" Jahn laughed. "You mean when there are some restaurants rebuilt?" he asked, gesturing around at the broken city.
Tilia nodded, her hand slowly sliding to rest on top of his. "Exactly."
Jahn chuckled. "I'm thinking noodles. I could get behind some noodles," he suggested.
Tilia wrinkled her nose. "Nah, plain noodles are rubbish. You need to put some rice in there or they're too bland," she said wisely. "Rebuild a noodle and rice restaurant and we can maaaaaybe go on a date," she winked at him, teasing.
The Avatar laughed again. As he stared out at the broken remains of Republic City, littered with new scaffolding and partially constructed buildings, he considered everything that had happened. All the suffering, all the fighting and all the chaos, now just a distant memory thanks to Team Avatar's efforts. More was still to be done, but he'd take every new challenge one step at a time. For now, his life was calm and steady, mirroring both the human and spirit worlds which were finally peaceful. Vehrin, the Red Lotus, the Spirit Eaters and Rizem. All defeated. For now, all was quiet as their worlds entered a new era of peace and harmony.
Eyuta lay down on the ground beside the wall as Tilia and Jahn stared out at Republic City, sat side-by-side as the sun continued to set on their changed world.
Jahn smiled, finally feeling a sense of serenity as he considered his future as the Avatar.
"Perfect."