Disclaimer: I do not own the Last Airbender, the Legend of Korra, or Dragon Age.
When Mages meet a Bender
"Talking"
"Thinking"
Out of everything that happened to them since they appeared out of that tear, both Asami and Korra had to admit: this party was definitely one of the oddest.
Fighting monsters and dark spirits as well as men? The former was a bit surprising but nothing they couldn't handle.
Dealing with politics and people that were begging for a punch across the face? Nothing new.
Traversing across two countries to find whatever they could to aid this new Inquisition? The only real difference was they didn't have a Satomobile or an airship (Korra did grumble about missing Naga).
But a party in Val Royeaux? It was taking every bit of her father's business teachings and her own control for Asami not to start laughing at everything she saw. Korra was hardly any better.
It all looked so…ridiculous.
Asami had no problem staring as they walked through the front door. "How can they move in those outfits?" she whispered. Every time she met an Orlesian, they were wearing elaborate clothes that bordered on poofy. If she tried wearing something like that to a party, let alone public, people would stare and laugh.
Korra did see the outfits, but she was more focused on something else. "How do those masks not fall off?" she wondered. "Seriously, all it would take is one sneeze!" One sneeze and the mask would go flying.
The herald announced them as they passed. "The Ladies Asami and Korra, representing the Inquisition." He mangled their names. He wasn't the first one, not even with the accent.
Still, they got some passing looks from the other guests before they walked by. Most were curious, but some had sneers. Korra was doing her best not to gawk at the palace they were (they called it something else, didn't they? A…chatooy?). Asami was doing a little better. She had found two other guests who seemed polite in their curiosity.
Her hope paid off. "What a pleasure to meet you, my ladies," the man greeted them. They couldn't tell if he was smiling (again, the mask) but he sounded polite. "Seeing the same faces at every event becomes so tiresome."
Asami and Korra shared a look. This was more Asami's thing. "Yes, but at least you know who to talk to and who to avoid," she remarked.
The other guests shared a little smile between them. Clearly, this lady knew about parties. More than that, she hinted at being able to conduct herself properly. "So, you must be a guest of Madame de Fer," the man remarked. "Or are you here for Duke Bastien?"
Korra and Asami were confused, and they didn't try to hide it. The woman noticed. "Are you here on business?"
"Um, yeah, we are," Korra answered with her usual blunt manner.
Asami gave it a little more tact. "We were invited by a First Enchanter Vivienne. Is she around?"
So they didn't know. Well, it was to be expected. They weren't Orlesians. "'Madame de Fer' is a…fond nickname the court has given Lady Vivienne," he explained.
"I've heard she finds it amusing," the lady remarked. She regarded Asami for a long moment. Her mask hid her emotions. "I've also heard the most curious tales about you. I cannot imagine half of them are true."
Now admittedly, this was something Korra was still getting used to. This world had never heard of the Avatar, so no one looked at her with awe or fear (or an intense desire to crush). Those looks were given to Asami, because of the mark on her left hand. They've been calling her the Herald of Andraste and thought only she could close the Breach.
Korra wasn't jealous but not being the focus of their attention took some getting used to. Asami knew how to handle it. According to her, it was just like being in the newspapers. "Well, I think that would depend," Asami said. One sideways glance at Korra and her lips smirked. "Would any of those stories happen to have exploding buildings?"
She gave that question the answer it deserved. "Excuse you, I did not blow up a building." Asami just waited, staring at her with those green eyes. It didn't take long to finish. "I just happened set one on fire."
"Just one?" she asked.
"We both know that second one was fire-resistant. It doesn't count."
The guests watched they bantered. It showed where they stood with each other. The little smiles they exchanged as they talked announced how close they were. More than that, it was amusing. "How delightful," the lady said, getting their attention. "The Inquisition should attend more of these parties."
Asami smiled politely but certainly didn't agree. She and Korra might've come to this world by accident, but they were trying to make sure it wasn't destroyed. Just another day for Team Avatar (even if they were the only two here). Spending all their time at parties wasn't exactly smart.
"The Inquisition?" sneered a voice from above. "What a load of pig shit!"
Korra followed Asami's gaze. A man strode down the nearby stairs with an arrogance he must've thought was confidence. He was dressed just like the other guests, including a rather silly-looking hat that leaned to the side. The only real difference was the sword strapped to his back.
"Washed-up Sisters and crazed Seekers?" he continued as he approached them. "No one can take them seriously." He brushed past as if they weren't worth the time. "Everyone knows it's just an excuse for a bunch of political outcasts to grab power."
The man had only spoken a couple of sentences and already Asami wanted to punch him. She didn't even need to look at Korra to know she was thinking the same thing. "We're trying to help," she said, keeping her cool. "Doing what we can to restore peace."
He scoffed at that. "Here comes the outsider, restoring with an army! We know what your 'Inquisition' truly is." He approached Asami, getting in her face before she had a chance to respond. "If you were a woman of honor, you'd step outside and answer the charges."
Okay, Korra had come to a decision. This guy was begging to have his face punched. She was willing to do just that. Spirits, Asami's right hand was twitching. She had left the Equalist glove back at camp because they both thought she wouldn't need it.
The idiot must've seen the twitch and took it as acceptance. He stepped back and started reaching for his sword. And then he froze in place, literally.
It took Asami and Korra to understand the thin sheen of ice coating his body, his fingers an inch away from the hilt. "My dear Marquis," a smooth yet poised voice said, "how unkind of you to use such language in my house…to my guests."
A woman came down a different flight of stairs. Where the idiot had stomped down with misplaced confidence, she sauntered down each step, in complete control of everything she saw. Her clothes also made her stand out. While others were elaborate, hers was elegant in its simplicity. The only thing that really stood out was her mask. It covered her head and pierced the air with two horns. One hand was held out, pointing downwards with indifferent grace, glowing white.
"You know such rudeness is…intolerable," she finished as she took the last step off the stairs. As she approached, Korra watched. This woman was dangerous, in her own way. And dangerous people needed to be watched.
The idiot realized how much trouble he was in. "Madame Vivienne, I humbly beg your pardon!" His voice shivered slightly from the cold.
"You should," the now named Vivienne remarked as she walked around him. "Whatever am I going to do with you, my dear?" He didn't answer. It could've been because of the cold, or just how scared he was. She looked over at Asami. "My lady, you're the wounded party in this unfortunate affair. What would you have me do with this foolish, foolish man?"
All eyes in the party were on them. Asami knew she had to make an example. If they were back in Republic City, she'd handle this like business, discretely and with professionalism. But from what she had seen from these Orlesians, they wanted a spectacle, something to talk about later. Well, she could give them that.
"Unfreeze him, if you could," she told Vivienne. The idiot breathed easier once the ice vanished. That stopped when Asami stepped in close, right in his face. Before he could say or do anything, she took hold of his mask and pulled it off.
A subtle gasp rolled through the audience. "Thank you for the gift," Asami told the idiot. "A new wall ornament is always appreciated."
His cheeks turned red while a titter echoed around him. "You—"
"Korra, send him to the door, please?"
Her girlfriend smirked, rolled her shoulders, stomped once, and swept out a hand. And everyone watched as the floor moved underneath the idiot, sending him back to the door. The motion was so sudden, it was as if the stone itself was a river. They could hear it grating as it moved, yet nothing broke.
The idiot came to a stop before the door. The floor didn't have a single stone out of place. He looked back, just in time for Asami and Korra to wave goodbye. Only one of them had a smirk that dared him to try something. He decided to run out the door (he tried to pass it off as a quick walk, but no one was fooled).
"Well, that was interesting," Vivienne remarked before she looked over at Korra. "You seemed to be quite adept at earth magic, my dear."
She shrugged. "It's all in the footwork." Her words made the audience around them whisper.
"Quite. You were fortunate to find such a mage," she told Asami. Both she and Korra shared a smirk, something she didn't miss. So there was something else to it. "In any event, I'm delighted you could attend this little gathering. I've so wanted to meet you."
"I hope I've lived up to your expectations," Asami replied.
"So far, you've yet to disappoint me." An elegant hand swept out to a private spot, right next to an open window. "If you'd follow me, I believe there's something we should discuss."
By the end of the party, Asami had recruited Vivienne into the Inquisition and with her, the last loyal mages of Thedas. So, at least they got something out of that party.
The Herald of Andraste intrigued Vivienne. She was like no person she had met before. When Vivienne came to Haven, it became quite clear to her this Asami Sato (and wasn't that an exotic name) had no idea to run an army. She considered the layout of her base to be fine where even a Ferelden dog-lord would thrown his hands up in disgust. She did not watch the men drill or even send out orders. She relied on her subordinates for that.
In fact, that was probably the one thing she did right and did well. If one wanted to find the Herald in Haven, all they'd need to do was look for the map room. She would spend hours poring over the maps, listening to the reports and checking her troops movements. She wasn't afraid to ask questions or seek an explanation. Commander Rutherford did his best, but one could tell he was feeling a little exasperated by the questions. Lady Nightingale and Lady Josephine certainly enjoyed the Herald's curiosity.
Another interesting thing was the Inquisition itself. Even if the Herald didn't know how to lead an army, she certainly knew how to run an organization. That was how she treated the Inquisition. Items were procured, trade routes established, and the duties were placed without any hesitation. She certainly did it as if she knew what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. It led Vivienne to wonder if she was a merchant of some kind in her homeland (when she asked, Asami only answered, "Think bigger." A strange response, to say the least).
And there was the Herald's group. She had heard how the Hero of Ferelden collected a motley group during the Fifth Blight. It had sounded something one would hear from a bard. Well, that was happening all around her. There was Cassandra, the stern Seeker, Varric, the dwarf companion of Hawke and had been at the epicenter of this ridiculous war, Sera, an elf girl who seemed to enjoy annoying those she considered highborn, and Solas, a hedge mage who seemed to know what the mark on the Herald's had could do.
Each of them, Vivienne included, followed Asami. Some could probably consider themselves a friend. But the closest confident she had was her fellow foreigner, Korra. It was clear the two had been through some adventures before. It was possible that's where their love grew from.
It was also clear that Korra was a mage. Yet, she was like no mage Vivienne had seen. She carried no staff to channel her power from the Fade and she rolled her eyes at lyrium potions. She even didn't care about Lyrium itself.
Vivienne was curious about Korra, about what her version of a Circle would be like. So when she found her sitting before the lake, alongside Solas of all people (the two hadn't really interacted), she took the chance.
"Good afternoon, my dears," she announced herself as she walked up. She must've surprised them, considering how they jerked and looked at her with slight surprise (and annoyance). "Did I interrupt something?"
"Korra was showing me how she meditates," Solas answered, coming to his feet.
"Oh? How was it?"
"Peaceful," he said after a moment.
"Took me a while to get the hang of it," Korra said. She took longer to get up. "But now I know it's a great way to calm yourself. Best part, you can do it anywhere."
Vivienne was a little surprised by that. "If that's true, why not practice in the Chantry or anyplace that's warmer?" She was wearing a heavy jacket and even still she could feel the chill against her skin. Solas said nothing but she knew he had to be feeling it too.
Her words made Korra laugh. "I grew up at the South Pole." She threw her arms wide, as if she was embracing all she saw. "This would be considered summer weather." She certainly seemed at ease, with only her shirt and her arm-coverings, leaving only her shoulders bare.
Still, it was an opening Vivienne could take. "It must've been a hard place to live in."
"Eh, I was fine. I had my sifus and my parents."
Solas was curious. "What does that word mean, sifus?" he asked.
"Teachers. A teacher is just a sifu."
"And your teachers let your family come see you?" Vivienne asked. "My, that is generous of them."
Korra didn't like how those words sounded. "Why wouldn't they?"
"Dear, here in Thedas, mages are raised in their Circles. They have no interaction with their families."
"Yet another thing that caused the pot to boil over," Solas remarked. A jab at her.
Well, she was ready to return. "They are given sanctuary and safety from those who would harm them, dear. Even from those who would be their families." She looked over at Korra. "Are mages treated the same in your land, Korra?"
"We don't have mages," she answered.
"But of course, you do. You are one yourself."
"No, I'm a Bender. Big difference." She made it sound as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Solas was interested. "What do you see as the difference between the two?" he asked. Vivienne chose to be more interested in her answer than the foregone argument.
"For one thing, we don't need this lyrium stuff to fuel it, and staves are optionable."
"Then how would you channel your magic?"
"With our bodies." Again, she made it sound as if it was the obvious thing.
Vivienne nodded. "Yes, I remember what you did with the Marquis." The memory was as amusing as the event had been.
"That? That was nothing. Benders could so much more." She glanced back at the frozen lake. "A Waterbending master would have no problem shattering that ice to reach the water underneath." She turned thoughtful before looking at Vivienne. "You've used ice before. So do you," she said to Solas.
He nodded. "Of course, my dear. I've had a deft hand at it," Vivienne answered.
"Why just ice? Why not use water?" The question made them pause. Korra noticed the looks and understood. "You never thought about it, have you?" They didn't answer, yet.
"Everything alright?" Asami asked. She had been walking by and noticed the conversation.
Korra looked her way and lit up with a smile. "Yeah, we're just having a talk about mages and Benders. Look," she said to the two mages, "are you guys looking for my honest opinion about magic in this world?"
That was another thing Vivienne noticed. Asami and Korra never said land when talking about Thedas. It was always world. "If you would be so kind," she said.
"Alright. It's pathetic." The answer shocked them, but she wasn't done. "Putting the whole lyrium and staff part aside, you guys can hardly handle one element, especially when you're using more than one. Not only that, but you treat mages like they're outsiders who need to be brought to heel and crush when they break a rule or don't agree with what you preach. It's no wonder things went to crap so fast if they've had years being cooped up in a single place."
As Vivienne had thought, she didn't see the whole picture, only the rebels view. "And there's the templars part of the problem," she continued. "Is it any wonder how they reacted? If you're going to treat someone like an attack dog, he's going to behave like an attack dog."
So maybe Vivienne was possibly wrong. Still, it seemed Korra was about to start ranting. Best to nip that in the bud. "And how is this Bending any different, darling?" she asked.
It took Korra a moment to hear the words. "It's a part of life," she answered. "A Bender isn't treated any different from a Nonbender. With one exception, a Bender can only bend one element."
"What are those?" Solas asked.
"Water, Earth, Fire, Air."
"Air?" Vivienne replied, puzzled. "How can one use air as magic?" No mage she knew could do that.
"Bending," she repeated, enunciating the word. "And like this." She twisted around, hands flowing with the motion.
Vivienne felt a slight tugging by her feet. Then she was suddenly looking up at the sky. There was pressure against her back, but nothing was there. The pressure disappeared and she fell into the snow. It happened in the span of five seconds. A surprised gasp beside her told the hedge mage had suffered the same thing.
When they sat up, the first thing Korra smirking at them. "Believe me now?" she asked.
Vivienne wanted to but she also remembered what she said. "You said Benders could only bend one element." She had seen the girl move the earth during the party.
"I said there was one exception. That would be me." She practically swaggered away.
Asami watched her go with a fond smile before she turned her attention back to the mages. "She's not joking. In our world, she's known as the Avatar, and she's the only person who can bend all four elements. If mages and templars define strength by their power, she'd win easily. And no," she added before either of them could speak, "I'm not saying that because we're together. I've seen her fight."
Vivienne didn't know what Solas was thinking as they went their separate ways, but she was intrigued. Intrigued by Korra and her supposed abilities. She was young but she had controls two elements with such skill. It made her wonder what else she might possibly do. And this Bending concept, such a fascinating idea. This was certainly shaping up to be an interesting adventure.
End
Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews you've sent me.
You ever wonder what would happen if you took the optimism and hope of Avatar: The Last Airbender and plopped it into the world of Dragon Age? Well, this is my attempt to write that.
In this story, Korra and Asami encounter Divine Justina while they were traveling through the Spirit World. Because of that, they wind up in Thedas right in the middle of things. Asami got the Anchor, so she's the Inquisitor. It would've been too easy to make Korra the Inquisitor. Besides, she's already the Avatar. She's got enough.
Korra sees the mages in Thedas as jacks-of-all-trades. Sure, they might be able to use multiple elements, but a Bender has better control over a singular element. As far as she's seen, not one mage has tried to use water in their magic, only ice. Ice is only water in a solid form, so why hadn't they? They've also never tried using air. To Korra, they're missing a key element and they're not even trying to reach it.
Both Korra and Asami see the war between Mages and Templers as something similar to the Equalists. They're using that experience to keep away from the politics. It isn't their business. Fixing the Breach is. Once that's done, they'll head back to their own world. Of course, certain stubborn people in Thedas aren't going to make that easy for them. Two of them already started working on Korra.
Regarding Solas, he would be interesting to watch. Living for as long as he did, it might've been possible for him to have met the Avatar before. What would happen if Korra mentioned the "past lives" aspect and he connected the dots? Hmm, seems like an opportunity for another chapter.
I'll see you all next chapter!