Three unidentified men have taken hostages in Central City Station, these men are presumed dangerous and we ask all cops available to make their way to downtown Republic City immediately for briefing.
Team Avatar were used to readying themselves for trouble by now, even without Asami's endless string of Satomobiles – due to her attempting to save her father's tainted business. They leapt upon Oogi, dropping Meelo off with Pema before shouting "yip, yip.", and setting off into the sky. It was Semak's first time flying, although it didn't take long for him to adjust and trust the Sky Bison. Everyone else was focused on the task at hand, silently strategizing.
"Bolin: Member of Team Avatar, star probender and helping out the cops. I'm here for you bro." Mako wiped the smile off Bolin's naïve face with a solemn tone.
"Not the time Bo'. We can't just charge in, we need to think. Any ideas Korra?" There was no reply from the Avatar, who guided Oogi down smoothly towards the statue of Fire Lord Zuko.
"Hey Mako," Semak nudged him, to remove his fixation with Korra's attitude, "Do you know what happened to the ring that Glum and Tikem were wearing?" He rubbed the skin around his first finger longingly.
"Strictly speaking its evidence, but from what I gather it was taken from your people. Here." Mako reached into his pocket and produced the ring, giving it to Semak who put it on instantly. "What is it?"
"It belonged to my parents, we always said it would give us luck," said Semak as the Sky Bison touched the ground, "It doesn't have the power they thought it did. They were looking for the pendant. They must have taken this ring from my sister in the raid"
Mako could appreciate better than most people when a subject needn't be touched upon, which he showed with a respectful bow of his head as he leapt off the saddle, his new police uniform jangling uncomfortably. Out of the corner of his eye Mako saw something which caused him to fire up inside. Two policemen laughing in the corner, going against their orders to ready themselves. He stormed over to the two men and pushed them against the wall.
"What do you think you're doing? People are in trouble and you're just fooling about."
"What are you talking about fire-dude?" The amateur policeman replied, his eyes full of innocence. Perhaps he hadn't heard. They apologised and carried on to the Station, bringing the two officers along with them. But something didn't feel right. An heir of silence walked beside them, with only muffled screams from inside the Station giving the impression of any sort of commotion.
"We can't just stand here." Korra slowly grew enraged as they got closer to the screams, "Tenzin usually tells me not to rush into things, but people are in danger. Its my duty as the Avatar." Mako nodded, eager to stay of Korra's better side.
"Okay, but we need to be quiet." When he had first met Semak his uniform had been a poorly fitting hand-me-down appearing like a child's fancy dress costume. However, the White Lotus had kindly brought over Mako's metal outfit - the metallic coating more for design than functionality due to his lack of metalbending - but even these were the wrong size. The shoulder plates at least broadened his frame, and it was certainly more comfortable than his previous attire, and the sonorous ring it created when he moved too fast shouldn't be too problematic.
They entered from a side entrance so as to avoid the key perpetrators and surprise attack, telling the two officers to return to the Police Station to ask for help. The shrieks had died down so there was no sound to follow, yet they were still aware that they were not alone. Whereas the Station would usually be filled to the brim with tourists and travellers, it seemed empty as they wandered around, searching disregarded train carriages. Broken and dilapidated. Just when they felt as though they had searched the preponderance of the building they noticed a door they had not seen before. A door slightly ajar, withholding a pitch black dusk as dark as death.
Mako and Semak looked at one another quickly, for it was a sight they were all too familiar with. They remembered the voice that would be inside. Never revealing its fearsome, unknown form. It was the reason for Korra's silence, the voice in the darkness in her dream. Bolin too was about to hear it, creaking the door wide open and poking his head in, calling out for a response.
"Hello, Bolin," Mako, Korra and Semak followed Bolin in after hearing the voice, "...and nice to see you all again. We are not far from meeting, face to face." A quiet, forced smirk could be heard from all sides of the room."
"Show yourself, unless you aren't strong enough." said Korra, cracking her knuckles.
"Patience Avatar. I have some of my men here that really want to thank you." Three silhouettes, barely visible walking towards them.
As the voice faded the room was illuminated, revealing another three people present. Gagged, bruised and unconscious. The door slammed behind them which caused Bolin to give off a slight whimper before composing himself. Once his eyes had readjusted Semak's heart sunk, a lump formed in his throat and his blood began to thicken. The pendant decided to bestow its power again, glowing violently as Semak breathed heavily.
"What's the matter?" asked Korra.
Mako understood Semak's emotions, he understood his fear and anger all at once.
"My sisters and my brother. Give them back!" Semak roared.
The three men emerged from the shadows, each with grins more sadistic and twisted than the one before it. Korra recognised them at once as the triad of earthbender's that had once lost their bending at the hands of Amon, before she returned it unwittingly. She growled through gritted teeth, sizing up her opponents. How many more villains had she resurrected at the fault of ignorance?
One of the three men, a balding man with green robes and a brown fedora which he doffed sardonically spoke first. "The pendant for the kids. Then no one gets hurt."
"Semak?" The hostages' older sibling stood firm, staring into the eyes of their capturer, hardly hearing Mako's assured words, "Its your call."
Korra whispered fiercely, "We don't know what it is capable of. In the wrong hands it could be very dangerous, and we might need it to get back to the Spirit World."
Bolin and Mako knew what Semak was going to do. Korra didn't have a sibling, so her lack of empathy in this scenario was not without mitigation.
In a swift motion Semak whipped the pendant off his neck and threw it to the feet of the men.
"And the ring." The man put his fedora back on, widening his mouth to reveal a predominantly toothless grin. Semak shut his eyes, tossing the ring into the hand of a second man, who squeezed it onto a podgy sausage of a finger.
"Now give them back." Korra said, producing a solid stance and raising her arms.
"Why would we do that now?" The third man, who up until this point had been silent, sniggered. "We have the pendant. I believe we can test it out before with give it to him."
The three men picked up the hostages to avoid aerial attacks; groans could be heard as they were lifted which proved the survival of Lahna, Estak and Katya. The entire building began to shake as the third man, who had picked up the pendant and placed it around his neck, tried to earthbend the ground beneath him. Bolin, Mako and Korra huddled together, leaping backwards as the ground opened up, creating a gap beneath themselves and the earthbending triad. Semak was caught in two minds. Should he save himself or become hopelessly trapped with his siblings? The last of his family.
Just before he made the leap, the dull voice returned, although this time his tone was that of anger. Before he had been composed and alert but now he seemed furious.
"What is this?" The earthbending stopped, "Who is the cause of this destruction?"
"It was Li Feng." said the man clutching his fedora, cowering in a corner.
"This victory was to be part of the greater plan," the voice continued, "But you could have destroyed everything. Return these people and give the pendant to one of the others."
Long Feng lowered his head and, with a hint of malice, handed the pendant to the man in possession of the ring.
"I need to be able to trust those around me. You two return to me. But you... Long Feng. I shall redo to you the darkest of fates."
There was a dark flash followed by a deafening silence amidst a fog which blinded them all. When it dispersed the two men were gone, leaving Li Feng sobbing on the floor. He let go of Estak, and stood up with his hands in the air.
"My bending is gone." Li Feng wiped the tears from his eyes and allowed Mako to handcuff him, accepting his fate. Korra and Mako exchanged a knowing look and a cheeky wink as Mako produced the metallic cuffs, before realising the severity of the matter.
"He took your bending... How?" Korra said.
"It is not known. We have not seen his face. But I can tell you where he is going. He cannot hurt me anymore that he has done already."
"Where is he?"
"I can show you."
Semak ungagged his sisters, and then his brother. They were slowly coming around. They were alive, but they weren't safe in Republic City. "Can they stay on Air Temple Island?" Semak looked to Korra.
"Sure." Korra said, her mind elsewhere. Amon removed bending using bloodbending, but this was different. The voice wasn't even in the room, and this man had been reduced to a distraught coward, punching at air.
"Hey, are we gunna follow this crazy dude? It could be another trap." Bolin said.
"At this point, I don't think we have much choice," said Mako, trying to lead the group, "I say we wait for back-up and then follow him. It might lessen his sentence if he can help us out."
"Thank you kind sir." Li Feng was grovelling, rubbing his face against Mako's shiny suit awkwardly, with his hands tied behind his back. Mako pushed him away, before hugging Korra tightly. Bolin put an arm around each of them, unaware of his intrusion.
"My brother," Estak said, barely half awake, "I knew you'd come."
"Sleep, you need your rest. I'll keep you safe." Semak forced a smile, staring into the crack in the ground, which ran down deep into the darkness.
That night Semak and Korra had no dreams of the Spirit World. The pendant was gone, but he slept easy in the knowledge the Lahna, Katya and Estak were safe...
For now.