AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm normally not really one for Latin titles in an East Asian-themed world, but this one just seemed fitting. "Crescit Eundo" means 'It grows as it goes' and is obviously a reference to Korra's power in this situation. It's also the State Motto of New Mexico, USA, so there's the neat tidbit for the day. That aside, we also get to see some conflicting motives surrounding some of the Red Lotus characters, whic will inevitably culminate at a later point not far from here.
Happy Reading!
BOOK ONE: POWER
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: CRESCIT EUNDO
Korra took a full four days off to play around with her newly discovered skill, looking as thrilled as she usually did any time Kwan came back from a resupply trip to Republic City with an extra bag of candy for the aspiring Avatar. She seemed particularly thrilled to be able to use all four elements, and a few of her displays were little more than glorified vulgar displays of power as she showed off using water, earth, fire, and air as well as other tricks the Red Lotus had taught her. Korra might have been very fierce and borderline-reckless with her bending, but she was remarkably precise with her moves and her aim. It seemed those archery lessons, as unorthodox as they had seemed, had paid off.
Zaheer seemed to appreciate Korra's unconventional approach, and that she made her own rules. Unalaq was a bit more opposed to it, but it seemed the man could be reasoned with, considering their limited options regarding teaching Korra airbending.
"I do not imagine Master Tenzin would approve of our operation, Chief," Zaheer warned, "and I don't imagine any of his young children are anywhere near master level airbenders. Other than ancient texts and history lessons, the Avatar has no real guide to assist her in airbending. Let her have her fun; let her embrace the freedom that comes with the element of Air."
"She has spiritual obligations as well," Unalaq reminded him, "And unlike the world governments that you detest so much, these abilities would augment her in being unstoppable and unrestrainable. Is that not what you seek?"
"Chaos is often the natural order," Zaheer closed his eyes, "We have successfully lured the Avatar into our grasp with promises of power, and now that she knows we can deliver, do you really imagine she is going to want to go home until she learns everything we have offered her? Or do you think that come Harmonic Convergence in less than four years, that she will be willing to do as we command?"
"And what then?" Nakkoa had overheard parts of the conversation and strode forward. "What you two are forgetting is that if the Avatar is unstoppable, then what happens if she turns on us? Who will stop her then? Who will put her in line?"
"Nakkoa, my dear," Unalaq shook his head, "you are always so tightly-wound and paranoid like your parents and grandparents. We could spend a thousand lifetimes contemplating everything that could go wrong and even spend all that time planning for it; and we still wouldn't even be able to produce contingency plans for every possible outcome."
"So what happens after you get your wish, hmm?" Nakkoa raised her eyebrow. "What happens when Vaatu is released and your new world order is established?"
"Then she no longer becomes unstoppable," Unalaq replied, "For Raava will have an equal in Vaatu's released form. What are you proposing?"
"Frankly, I've wanted to kill her for weeks now," Nakkoa shook her head, "She's way too reckless and unpredictable, and I'm pretty sure she's spiting me."
"The notion of slaying the Avatar," Unalaq interrupted, "my niece, Nakkoa—is out of the question." "Except then we could try again properly," Nakkoa pointed out, "Either the new Avatar would be born in the Earth Kingdom and be a much easier target to bring to our cause after the chaos we plan to cause there, or we end the Avatar Cycle permanently, and keep only Vaatu and his Avatar of Chaos as the ruling entity of this world."
"Like I said," Unalaq put his hands on Nakkoa's shoulders, "we are NOT going to slay Korra, and the very notion is as ridiculous as these little games you play. With the Avatar from the Water Tribes, we can manipulate her loyalties and force her to realize the importance of aiding the Tribes, and in turn, convincing her to open the Spirit Portals. We cannot get an infant child to do that, and so if your bloodlust gets the best of you, it will be dealt with accordingly. Do not force me to monitor your activity around my niece, Nakkoa."
"Okay, I've tried to remain neutral long enough," Kwan's accent was heard in the distance, "But sister, now I've gotta intervene. The hell do you mean Korra's spitin' ya?"
"She's a renegade that does as she pleases, with little regards for the well-being of others." Nakkoa explained, "I admittedly am not much better in that regard, and maybe this is just my own psychosis speaking, but I'm pretty sure that she's setting a very dangerous precedent here."
"Perhaps you can talk some sense into your sister, Ikiza." Unalaq suggested.
"Never thought you'd ask," Kwan nodded, "C'mon, sister," she took Nakkoa's hand and pulled her away from Unalaq and Zaheer, who continued their discussion about where to take Korra's training from there. "We need to talk."
"Fine," Nakkoa grunted, following her sister, "What is it?"
"A spar," Kwan offered, taking a stance for a second before continuing to walk, "as we discuss a few things about you; about us; about our mental well-being; about Korra."
"Fine," Nakkoa brandished her trademark blue flames on her hands for a moment, "ask away; and in the meantime, let's dance."
"Why are you so mean to the kid?" Kwan shifted her legs and took a defensive stance, once they were far enough away from the Water Chief and the vagabond. "Why do you hate her so much? What did she ever do to you?"
"She's like a Fire Ferret in many ways," Nakkoa explained as they commenced their sparring, "she's playful, inquisitive, mischievous, and harder to corral than water in a sieve. Worse yet, her stupid polar bear-dog always growls and gets defensive when she sees me. I'm pretty sure that creature doesn't trust me either."
"In Naga's defense," Kwan shrugged, bending backwards to avoid a searing jet of multicoloured blue flames, "you're kinda mean." Naga was much friendlier to Kwan, and even Nakkoa knew it.
"I'd kill the damn thing myself if I could get away with it." Nakkoa sighed, before briefly gritting her teeth as she flipped and rolled to avoid Kwan's rocks, "and while I'm sure Unalaq wouldn't mind seeing the stupid kid trigger the Avatar State so prematurely, I don't imagine the Avatar's wrath would be too easy to contain."
"There you go again," Kwan shook her head, stamping her foot and sliding to the left, her stone shield shattering when Nakkoa's lightning struck it, "Listen to yourself. Korra's old idea of training was to smash everything with brute force. Your answer to everything is to stick a knife in it. You want to kill Naga, you want to kill Korra. You didn't even try to avoid Sato; you just killed her too. Sister—is there something about you that you ain't tellin' me? Why in oblivion are you so violent? Do you think killin' everything will solve all your problems?
"It's enjoyable," Nakkoa admitted, spinning into a barrage of fireballs, "that adrenaline-rushing feeling of drawing blood as the life force of your enemy slips away."
"And so why are you takin' it out all on poor Korra?" Kwan coated her hands in stone and used her fists and punches to block the bolts of flame, "sure her 'dog might not trust you, but she's just an excited kid who's thrilled to see the world."
"I think you've gone soft," Nakkoa warned, knocking Kwan off-balance with a well-aimed lightning bolt. She managed to recover, however, and was back on her feet a second later. There was something to be said about the resilience of an earthbender, after all. "As for why the Avatar grates on me… she knows that her animal companion doesn't like me, and so she stopped trusting me too. Haven't you noticed she avoids me these days?"
"Can you really blame her?" Kwan's rock slammed into Nakkoa's arm, spinning her sister around even if said sister followed up with a powerful stream of flame, "You've done everything you can do dehumanize the kid. You talk about her like she's a thing; you've never even used the poor girl's name before, and she's very aware of that fact. Naki… whether you mean it or not, you're real hurtful to that kid. I'd avoid you too if I were her."
Kwan's last attack managed to knock Nakkoa down and she conceded at that point. "Well she'll have to get over that fear if she wants to learn the intricacies of firebending at one point or another." Nakkoa put her fingers to her eyes, before pointing them threateningly at Kwan. "Maybe let her know that."
"Or maybe you could take a lesson out of MY book," Kwan glared right back, "and not let your psychotic behaviour control and define ya. I'm not really that much less crazy than you; sister—but I ain't lettin' it define me."
"And yet all these years I've had your back, and continue to have your back," Nakkoa replied.
Kwan did not reply, although whether this was from lack of a comeback or simply not wishing to push this debate, remained unclear. Kwan simply stared back as Nakkoa strode away, and instead just shook her head and sighed.
Korra was still blissfully unaware of any of these exchanges, having revelled in her discovery of airbending, which had given her a firsthand explanation over the last four days as to why it was Aang's favourite element. But even then, Korra did not rest. There was more work to do.
Day 228: Unalaq has taught me more advanced healing that he says works on even a spiritual level. Add that to my airbending and Kwan starting to teach me some of the more advanced forms of earthbending, and I'd say I'm getting pretty good at this Avatar thing. Zaheer says once I master the art of concentration, I might be able to pick up rare techniques such as metal, lavabending, lightning, blue fire, and possibly even combustion. On the note of lightning though, Nakkoa seems more distant than usual, which says something, but I'm sure I'll be able to get her to open up soon enough. I need to focus on my current objectives though… and learn more about Avatar Serenez and why she was so feared if she was so calm. Hmm…
Her contact with the Interregnum Avatars had been fairly sparse since arriving here, apart from the name mentioned in passing by Avatar Kuruk during one of Korra's interactions with him. Of course, the notes in the margins of her journal and sometimes on the pages were as vigilant as ever, occasionally joined by little chibi drawings of her and/or her past lives.
A few nights later, however, Korra met one of the most influential Avatar incarnations of recent history, and one that she had been eagerly anticipating meeting: Avatar Kyoshi.
"Good to see you finally connecting with us on your own, Korra." Kyoshi's reception was a lot warmer than Korra had expected it to be. The towering Earth Kingdom woman had gained a somewhat sinister reputation in recent years after corruption of factions such as the Dai Li, and even (to a much lesser extent) the Kyoshi Warriors.
"Well, I'm starting to come up on a year of some pretty hardcore training," Korra laughed. "Or is the great Avatar Kyoshi unimpressed?"
"Believe it or not, kid, but I've been subtly aware of your training regimen." Kyoshi responded, "I'd argue that you were pushing yourself too hard, but that does not seem to be the case."
"So is that approval I smell?" Korra raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms as well.
"I see a means to an end," Kyoshi replied, "Although I also saw a means to an end with many of the Interregnum Avatars that now seem to have taken great interest in you."
"Is that… bad?" Korra tilted her head, "what do you know of them?"
"Only what I have gleaned from the few surviving records," Kyoshi admitted, "They were more than a thousand years before my time as well, but they left their mark on history in ways that inspired even me. A man named Fa Su had a Secret Police in Ba Sing Se that inspired me to mimick it all these years later. My success, as you may have heard, was… limited, and like him, I have my regrets."
"Fa Su…" the pout that appeared on Korra's face was more a contemplative/thinking pout than an upset one, "where did he fall in the Interregnum Line?"
"He was 16th in the line," Kyoshi lowered her head, "and his deeds, while well-intentioned, led to a corrupt situation that enabled his successor to forever blacken the Avatar's name. No historian I knew or text I read would speak this woman's name, but it is said that the entire world bowed before her—and not by choice. In a way it was inspiring, and in many other ways, it's a horrifying concept that not even I dared attempt to venture to."
"That's…" Korra's expression twisted awkwardly as if she was embarrassed by this revelation, "not exactly a pretty mental picture. But wait… if it was Fa Su's successor, and he was from the Earth Kingdom, that means it was from the Fire Nation. Was it anything like the war that Avatar Roku and Avatar Aang went through?"
"No," Kyoshi shook her head, "the Avatar went through the Fire Nation first, bending it to her will, but the army of the Avatar was not affiliated with any nation. I do hear that this Avatar was part of the inspiration for the war that Roku and Aang suffered through, however. Make of that information what you will."
"So why do you think all these Avatar incarnations from thousands of years ago are taking interest in me?" Korra looked back up at Kyoshi, wringing her hands, "Aang told me that he had no such meetings, and neither did Kuruk or Roku."
"And neither did I," Kyoshi put her hands together. "If they are taking interest in you, then there is something you have in common with them that has piqued their interest. Whether the results of this are good or evil may remain to be seen, but perhaps what the others say is true. Make sense of this past, and you very well may not only bring peace and balance to the world, but could become the most formidable incarnation of the Avatar in history."
And then just like Aang or Roku, Kyoshi was suddenly gone—much to Korra's annoyance. She had a feeling their sudden disappearances might have been caused by her own struggling spirituality, but could never be fully sure since none of her teachers exactly had past lives that they could contact as a demonstration or anything.
With Kwan's support and the approval of Unalaq, however, Korra's lessons on focus expanded once again, and she started to learn the ropes of metalbending. It was very much her style with the harsh, forceful moves serving as a striking contrast to the kinder, gentler moves one used in healing, and so Korra made great strides in this art rather swiftly.
Day 264: Metalbending is pretty cool, but I've definitely got a ways to go before I get any good with that. For all the emphasis Zaheer and Unalaq have both put on focus though, they compared my shot with a bow to the Yu Yan Archers. I'd like to see someone top that! Maybe there's something to be said about bending-free combat. I can hold my own against Zaheer without bending, but he still ultimately ends up kicking my ass. I guess I don't have to be the best in everything, but I definitely want to at least be competent. So much to learn; so little time.
And yet, with the amazing progress she was making with her bending disciplines (including her somewhat renegade airbending tricks), it was clear that the Red Lotus was succeeding in their goal to mould Korra into a destructive and dangerously powerful creature. How well she would be able to contain this power—and whether or not it would consume her—remained to be seen.
PAST LIVES DISCOVERED:
Kyoshi (Earth Kingdom, Female): A powerful and influential Earth Kingdom Avatar now seen in a slightly mixed light due to the long-term after-effects of the factions she founded. Despite their effects in the present day, no one denied that she got things done, and had her impact on the world not been overall positive, some might have even considered her as an honourary Interregnum Avatar. However, she ultimately avoided that fate, and is thus still viewed rather positively.
Serenez (Water Tribe, Female): The 7th Avatar of the Interregnum Cycle. A calm, quiet, and collected Water Tribe woman whose elusive behaviour turned her into something of an enigma, and her serenity and soft-spokenness made it difficult to discern her true emotions or feelings. While purportedly extremely rare, it was said that her anger was one of the most terrifying forces in the world to behold, which was made all the more frightening by the fact that she was almost never seen angry.
Fa Su (Earth Kingdom, Male): The 16th Avatar of the Interregnum Cycle. The Predecessor to "The Culmination" of the Interregnum Cycle, as well as an inspirational predecessor to founding a faction that would later inspire Avatar Kyoshi to found the Dai Li. Evasive and secretive, Fa Su was a manipulative man of limited morals who was not afraid to go to great lengths to achieve his goals, and while he was often unethical, no one could claim that he did not get things done.
TOTAL PAST LIVES MET: 16