Evening at the Air Temple:
The cool evening air enveloped Tenzin's island as the sun set, painting the sky deep gold and orange. Korra stood next to Tenzin, her gaze looking out at the horizon dotted with the lights of Republic City. She inhaled deeply the salty air, feeling the light breeze caress her face. After a long day of grueling training, a heavy fatigue settled on her shoulders, but she smiled tiredly. Her cheeks were flushed, partly from the exertion of the day and partly from the coolness that prevailed around them.
"It's been a... long day," she said in a weak but satisfied voice, almost surrendering to the stillness of the evening.
"Nice persistence today, Korra," Tenzin replied in a soothing tone, his gaze softening for a split second before returning to a serious expression.
Cora nodded silently, and began walking slowly towards the house. The light of the lanterns that warmed the corridors of the temple equaled a homely and pleasant feeling.
When she reached her room, she threw herself on the bed, her clothes still on her body, her eyes closing almost immediately. Her hair was scattered on the pillow in an untidy manner, and she felt the feeling of heaviness in her body increasing. A faint shiver went through her body, but she ignored it and curled up in the blanket.
The next morning:
The sunlight coming through the window woke Korra up. Her eyes slowly opened, and an unpleasant feeling of warmth enveloped her. She touched her forehead, which felt hot and damp with sweat, and her cheeks were still flushed.
"Maybe it's just fatigue from training," she muttered to herself, trying to convince herself that there was no reason to worry.
She barely got out of bed, dragging herself towards the workout.
When she started training with Tenzin, she tried to concentrate, but quickly felt that the effort was heavier than usual. Her movements were slow, and her reactions clumsy. She repeatedly failed simple exercises, which was uncharacteristic of her.
"Kora, you don't look your best today," Tenzin said, his look full of concern as he noticed her performance.
Cora touched her forehead with trembling fingers. "I think I don't feel so well," she finally admitted in a weak voice, almost ashamed.
"Then go back to your room and rest. There's no point in straining yourself when you're not at your best," Tenzin said in a quiet but firm tone.
Cora nodded weakly and turned back to her room. She collapsed on the bed, her eyes closing almost immediately. Her hair spread around her again, and she blew her nose lightly before falling asleep, feeling the heaviness enveloping her completely.
Kora began to toss and turn restlessly in her bed. In her dream, she found herself in a dark and cold place, whispering voices enveloping her from every direction, instilling in her a sense of helplessness.
"You don't deserve to be the Avatar," a deep, piercing voice whispered behind her. She turned around but saw no one, only distorted shadows surrounding her.
She tried to run, but felt as if the ground beneath her was dropping. Her enemies appeared around her, figures from her past who turned the dream into a tangible nightmare.
not! Leave me!" she shouted in the dream, her voice sounding trembling and full of fear.
"No no no! No!" She continued to scream in her sleep, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her high-pitched screams penetrated the walls of the temple, waking Tenzin, Pema and their children.
Pema, who was taking care of Rohan in the kitchen, heard the screams first. "Tenzin, do you hear that?" she asked worriedly. Tenzin immediately woke up from his relaxed mood.
"It's Korra," he said sharply, running quickly towards her room.
Jinora was the first to arrive in the room. She tried to shake Cora gently. "It's happening? It's happening! Wake up! It's just a dream!"
When she didn't succeed, Pema came in right after her, touching Cora's forehead and feeling the high heat. "She's very hot," she whispered to herself, her gaze full of concern.
Pema returned to the kitchen and called Tenzin. "I think she's sick. She has a high fever. Maybe it's more than just tiredness."
Meanwhile, Kora sank deeper into the nightmare. A feeling of suffocation enveloped her as if the air around her had become heavy and compressed. Dark shadows crept towards her from every corner, whispering indistinct words that sent chills through her body. Her legs felt heavy as lead, her every movement became a struggle, and every step brought a growing sense of despair. Her heart once raced, cold sweat dripped from her forehead, and tears began to flow from her eyes, as if all her deepest fears had come to life.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed in her dream, her body twitching and sweating. "No... no... no!" Tears continued to flow from her closed eyes, her face contorting in pain and fear.
Tenzin and Pema entered the room together, with Rohan in Pema's arms. Tenzin stood aside, his look concerned, while Pema walked over to Korra's bed, sat down next to her, and gently touched her shoulder. "Kora, it's just a dream. Everything's fine, you're safe here." She stroked her head, her voice soft and comforting, trying to calm her even though her heart was pounding hard.
After making sure Korra had calmed down a bit, Pema turned to Tenzin. "We need to find a way to help her. She can't go on like this. It's not just a fever; she looks mentally exhausted."
Tenzin nodded, his face thoughtful. "Maybe it has to do with something she's going through right now. We'll have to ask her when we can. I also wonder if her nightmares aren't related to the spirit world," Tenzin said, his face thoughtful.
"She's the Avatar, and sometimes, when the balance is broken, it affects her more than others. Maybe the spirits are trying to give her a message, but she can't decipher it while she's so exhausted."
Jinora, who was standing in the doorway of the room, added in a whisper, "I think her nightmares are not for nothing. Maybe they are related to her spirituality or something that happened in the past."
Pema looked at Tenzin with a sharp look. "Maybe we'll bring Cora to the healing room? We'll make her a special tea to help her relax."
When Korra finally fell asleep peacefully, Tenzin sat down with Pema in the kitchen. "I wonder if this isn't a sign that something in the spirit world is affecting her. Since she's the Avatar, maybe it's a way for the spirits to communicate with her."
Pema shook her head, mixing fresh herbs to make a soothing tea. "Then we'll need help. Maybe Jinora can use her connection to the spirit world to figure out what's going on."
Meanwhile, Jinora sat in her room with old books, flipping through pages that dealt with the connection between the Avatar and spirits. "If Korra's nightmares are caused by a spiritual imbalance," she thought to herself, "we have to find out how to settle it before it gets worse."
In her next dream, Kora found herself back in the spirit world. But this time, the shadows faded, and a glowing figure appeared in front of her. It was Avatar Yangchen, her face full of compassion.
"It's happening," Yangchen said in a soft voice, "what you're going through is a test. The physical and spiritual worlds are out of balance, and you're feeling the pressure of each on your body and mind. You have to deal with it, but not alone. Get help from your friends and family here."
Cora felt tears running down her face. "But how? I feel so weak... how can I continue to protect the world when I can't protect myself?"
Yangchen smiled. "The Avatar's power lies not only in its ability to fight. It also lies in receiving help, learning and growing."
Pema gently covered Cora better with her blanket so that she was wrapped around her, taking care to make sure she stayed warm enough.
When Cora awoke in the morning, she felt weak, a high fever set her body on fire, and her flushed cheeks showed her condition. She paused for a moment to blow her nose quietly and gently. In addition to the physical exhaustion, she still struggled with disturbing nightmares that seemed to be echoes of something deeper. she whispered hoarsely,"I think I know what's going on..." She looked at Tenzin and Puma as they approached her bed. "It has to do with the spirit world. The spirits seem to be trying to communicate with me, but something is out of balance there, and it's affecting me more strongly because of my illness and exhaustion from recent training."
As Cora explained, Pema gently covered her with another blanket, making sure she stayed warm. Kora's flushed cheeks indicated her high fever and she paused for a moment to quietly and gently blow her nose. As she explained the matter, her eyes closed weakly, and her body sank back in the bed.
Pema looked at Tenzin, then said in a calm but determined voice, "I'll go get her some medicine to help lower her fever and treat her symptoms." She left the room, leaving Tenzin and Jinora sitting next to Korra, anxiously watching her deteriorating condition and trying to think of how to help her on the spiritual level as well. Memories of the conversation with Avatar Yangchen began to clear in her head, like a ray of light making its way through the clouds.
She realized that the pain and weakness she was experiencing were signs, signals that she didn't have to carry the whole world on her shoulders alone. She thought about the things Yangchen had told her about getting help and growing together. Cora made up her mind that she would help Tenzin, Pema, Jinora and anyone willing to stand by her, even in her most vulnerable moments. She sat up slowly, her gaze more determined than ever, and despite the feeling of physical weakness, a new spark appeared in her eyes. "I must strengthen my connection to the spirit world," she thought, "and do it with support around me." She looked at Tenzin, Pema and Jinora who were waiting by her side, their faces full of concern.
""I think I know what I must do," she said in a weak but more confident voice, but with a slight tremor that betrayed her sense of weakness. "And I will need your help. I need you to help me deepen my connection to the spirit world. Only that first I need to feel a little better and get better. Jinora, can you help me reconnect and look for answers to what I'm going through? Tenzin, I need your guidance to figure out how to keep my balance and come back to myself. And Pema, I need your support at this time. Maybe you could help me take better care of myself, even if it means reminding me to drink tea or making sure I get enough rest. I can't go on like this alone, and I need you now more than ever."
"We're here for you, Korra," Tenzin said, placing a hand on her shoulder compassionately. Jinora smiled softly, stepping a little closer, while Pema arrived with medicine and a steaming cup of tea."Take it, it will help lower the fever," she said softly. She placed a damp towel on Korra's forehead gently and added, "I'll also make a light soup to help you regain some strength."
And that this is just the beginning of a deeper journey for Korra, a journey that will connect her physical and spiritual worlds, and provide her with new insights into her role as an Avatar.
