A/N: Thanks to IrishDreamer4 and Lightbrightfury for reviewing the last chapter, and to GJH28 for subscribing.
As promised, here is part two of the mini-arc.
7. Silence like a cancer grows
He hears voices while he sleeps.
"It's a tricky case, especially with his previous injuries." A healer's voice, cool and clinical.
"What's the prognosis?" Lin, direct and no-bullshit.
"We'll do all we can, but it's really up to him."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means that if he wants to live, he has to fight for it."
More fighting, he thinks wearily, before the silence claims him.
...
The next voice he hears is Asami's, anxious and strained.
"Does Bolin know?"
"I radioed Varrick's ship," Lin answers. "He should be here within a few days. Hopefully by then we'll have some good news for him."
Asami grips his hand and holds it close. "Mako, stay strong."
...
"Tui and La, what happened?"
"Idiot kid got himself captured by the Triple Threats and decided to take them on himself." Lin's words are callous, but her tone is anything but. She seems almost…distressed? "He's been out of it for the last week. The healers say he isn't fighting anymore."
He feels a familiar touch of water-healing; Lin has apparently gotten Kya to come all the way from the South Pole to heal him.
"His chi is very weak, and it's fading by the day."
"Can you help him?"
"I'll certainly try." There's brief pause, and then Kya's voice whispers near his ear. "I know you're still there, Mako. You have to fight. It's too soon to give up, you hear me?"
But it's already been too long.
...
The silence is getting oppressive, the voices farther away. He barely hears snippets; they all blend together.
"…triad members?" Sounds like Tenzin.
"…pretty beaten up, but they'll live." Lin.
"His spirit is so…drained." That's Jinora.
"…hiding a lot…" Lin, again.
"Come on, Mako, you're the only big brother I have." Kai.
"…you should have said something…" Asami.
"Mako, it's too soon to give up." Kya, echoing faintly and disappearing into the depths.
Then, for a long time, he hears nothing.
...
He floats unaware until Bolin's plea pulls him back from the abyss.
"Mako…Mako, you've gotta wake up. Come on, bro, don't do this to me."
There are tears in his brother's voice, and he wants to wipe them away the way he did when they were little.
"I don't want to be alone."
"You'll never be alone, Bo. I'll always be here for you."
"Do you promise?"
"Promise."
He starts fighting the silence.
...
"His chi has changed," Kya says.
"Is that good or bad?" Asami wonders.
"We can only wait and see."
The silence drags him under again.
...
"Mako, please." Bolin's back, more anguished now. "Please."
I'm trying.
But he wonders if it's too little, too late.
...
Korra nearly shatters the silence.
"Why didn't anyone call me?"
He almost twitches, but he's too far below the surface.
"There's nothing you can do for him that Kya hasn't already done." Tenzin's tone is grave.
"I'm going to try anyway."
He strains to listen for more, but the sounds are swallowed by the void.
...
The next thing he hears is Korra again, but somehow it's different. He's not listening to her echo from beyond the depths of his silence; she is in the chasm with him, her spirit reaching out to his.
"Mako, come back." Her voice is strong, resonant; he hears it clearly, as if it were a normal conversation.
He longs to respond, to say the words he still hasn't said, because this is the last time he'll get the chance. He's been fighting for what feels like an eternity with no progress, and he's tired.
"Mako!"
Korra. I'm sorry.
The silence has held him too long and the abyss engulfs his spirit. He feels himself slipping into the blackness, where even the Avatar's power cannot save him.
"Oh, no you don't!"
She reaches for him, anchors him. His chi hums in response to the strength of her spirit. He's hearing colours and seeing sounds. The Avatar's light dispels the dark long enough for him to recognise the way out of his hell.
"Come back to me."
And the silence is broken.
A/N: Chi is usually defined as the vital energy/life force of one's body. It plays a part in both physical and spiritual health and must flow unimpeded in order for one to be healthy. So I figure that decreased chi corresponds to fatigue or weakness, and total loss of chi corresponds to death.
Here's my logic: if one is depressed, as Mako is, chi is going to be dampened - lack of energy is a typical symptom of depression. Depression, if left unchecked, can lead to a loss of will to live - correspondingly, if chi is dampened too long, there's a lack of vital energy flowing through one's body. Hence why Mako is in such dire straits here - he's got a long-term injury (his arm), he was injured in the fight with Shin and Ping, and to top it all off, his chi has been low for months.
Thank you for attending my mini TED-talk on the link between chi and depression. The review page is always open for comments, feedback, and questions.
Next chapter will be posted the day after tomorrow.