[Downtown District]
The same bright day.
The same flawless sky.
The same bustling city.
The same cheerful birds chirping as the sun reached its peak.
AHHHH!
Well, it would've been perfect—if those birds' choir weren't being completely drowned out by the chorus of terrified screams.
BOOM!
An explosion thundered across the district, shaking the earth beneath their feet. Black smoke billowed into the heavens, rising from one of the grand mansions that dotted the wealthy quarter.
An obvious terrorist attack.
But who would dare target a place like this.
And why?
Whoever it was, they walked the ruined halls without care, their steps loud, almost leisurely, as if the wail of sirens outside and the gathering of crowds didn't faze them.
"Everyone inside! Now!"
On the mansion's top floor, amid the chaos and burning debris, a handful of servants and guards had barricaded themselves.
Despite the fear twisting the air, one guard took command, using his broad form to keep the rest of security in line.
"You four, watch the windows. If the intruder tries to breach from there—keep the civilians safe" his tone cut cleanly through the panic. He jabbed his finger at the rest. "The rest—on me"
A dozen men and women, all uniformed and battle ready, fell in behind him. He led them down the hall, outside the heavy double doors of the office, their boots pounding in tense rhythm.
At his signal, half the squad peeled off into side rooms, taking ambush positions, while others clustered with him at the door.
The hinges groaned as the last of them sealed it shut.
They stood ready. Benders all, stances set, breaths steady.
The mansion continued to burn. Wood beams collapsed in distant rooms, glass shattered and fell like reflective rain. But none of it masked what they were all straining to hear.
Step. Step. Step.
It was deliberate. Obvious. Climbing the stairs with the weight of inevitability. Whoever it had done this wanted to be heard. Wanted them to know they were coming.
Creak…
The stairwell groaned under the pressure of the intruder's boot.
Every guard in the corridor tensed. They braced for the inevitable rush of power.
They waited.
And waited.
But nothing came.
Yet no one dared to lower their stance.
Their training held, nerves honed sharp enough it could cut anything they expect to be thrown at them.
Though… even trained nerves could betray them.
…Ting. Tang.
The faint chime of metal echoed against the marble. It set teeth on edge as everyone focused on it.
Click—
"FLASH—!"
KRA-KOOOOM!
The corridor detonated in white. Light seared retinas, sound hammered eardrums.
The benders staggered, some collapsing to their knees as their hands clawed at ringing ears, eyes blind with afterimages. Even those stationed in side rooms reeled, their coordination lost, hearing replaced by a shrill of endless whine.
Fwoop! Fwoop!
Ghk!
Arrows whistled through the haze, piercing two guards clean through the shoulder and pinning them against the wall like insects. Their cries barely carried past the ringing.
The others, half-blind, half-deaf, relied on what was left—the subtle tremor beneath their palms.
The floor shifted under approaching footsteps.
"DAMN YOU!" one earthbender roared, blood streaking from his ears.
He slammed a fist into the ground, raising a wall of stone, then thrust forward with a grunt, sending the slab hurtling down the corridor.
Another followed suit, squinting against the white blur in his vision, summoning a smaller wall to ride with the first.
Neither of them realized the truth. Both walls had lurched forward only a few feet… before stopping dead.
The figure continued their steady approach.
In the side chambers, those farther from the flash regained their bearings more quickly.
A firebender, waterbender, and an earthbender on each side readied themselves, feet planting into familiar stances.
Like pro-benders at the starting gong, they didn't wait. The instant the intruder stepped into view, they unleashed everything—flames, stone, and water—crashing toward the figure with no regard for friendly fire. So long as the enemy in the center was reduced to nothing.
"Hold! Hold!"
The command came after a minute. Smoke, fire, rubble swallowed the corridor, a violent haze that clawed at their lungs and obscured their sight.
Every heartbeat stretched thin.
If only airbenders still walked in numbers, they might have cleared it faster.
When at last the haze thinned…
The intruder was gone.
"Search for him!" a firebender barked, chest tightening as she scanned the hall. Her gaze snagged on something worse: the other three in the adjoining room had vanished as well.
She turned sharply—only to freeze.
Two of her own allies hung above her, bound at the ankles and wrists, dangling helplessly from the beams.
"Oh? You noticed fast"
The voice came from above.
He was crouched on a support beam, long limbs folded like a predator at rest.
Even in that low perch, the firebender could tell he was quite tall. His clothing emphasized his arms, with long dark hair tied into a loose ponytail. A quiver full of arrows hugged his side, a long sword rested against his hip, and a massive bow lay across his back like an extension of his spine. His eyes were sharp, patient, studying her as though she were prey already snared.
ZHEN
AGE: 19
STATUS: INTRUDER
"Bastard! You dare play with us?!" the firebender snarled, rage breaking through her fear.
She twisted on her heel, snapping a high kick that carves a blazing arc of fire straight toward him.
Zhen reacted with no change in his expression. His sword hissed free in one smooth motion, slicing through the beams beneath his feet.
Wood splintered, and he dropped like a stone, the fire slicing just overhead as he landed and rolled to his feet.
The firebender pressed the attacks instantly, a flurry of burning kicks streaking toward him. Each blast lit the hall in harsh orange. Zhen didn't care and darted forward, weaving between the fiery arcs with fluid precision, closing the distance with every heartbeat.
At the last second, he dropped into a slide, sweeping past her defenses. His hand locked around her ankle and yanked.
Gah!
She hit the floor hard—face first, her head imitating a ball once before she went limp.
Zhen exhaled through his nose, letting go of her foot, before binding her wrists and ankles.
"There he is!"
The shout echoed down the hall. The smoke had cleared completely, and the rest of the guards were already converging. Four of them stormed in the chamber, boots hammering stone, fists already flaring.
Zhen's jaw tightened. He had a captive now—and these people seemed to care little about injuring their allies. He'd have to adapt.
Steel whispered free again.
With a swift cut, his blade traced deep lines into the stone floor, carving out a rough square. Then, reversing his grip, he drove the sword's point into the cut and twisted.
Stone groaned. With a rumble, the slab levered upward, rising before him into a solid wall just as the fire lashed out.
The blasts hammered the makeshift barricade, showing him with sparks.
"Heartless fucks…" Zhen muttered, eyes flicking to the unconscious guard behind him. For a moment, his expression was the same—then it went cold. "Seems there's nothing else worth sparing"
His fingers tightened on the hilt, thumb brushing the guard of the sheath. With a deliberate twist, a hidden mechanism clicking to life, heating the blade from within.
When he drew the blade this time, it sang a sharp tune. Blue light flared along the steel, electricity dancing hungrily across its length, spitting and crackling like a small, constrained storm.
The blue glow overwhelmed the orange hue of the flames.
"I'll just kill the rest"
—————————————————————————————
[Meanwhile…]
Outside, the thunder of battle shook the walls. Inside the office, the air was thick with fear.
Servants and assistants pressed themselves against the corners, whispering prayers, while the four guards left behind stood rooted near the only entrance.
"Everyone remain calm!" one of them barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the panic. "The Captain is handling the intruder. He once served as Lord Zuko's personal guard. His skill is beyond question"
The weight of Zuko's name seemed to steady trembling shoulders. Murmurs rippled through the room, softer now, as though his words alone had smothered their terror.
The guard allowed himself a thing, proud smile. "No doubt, the captain has the intruder by the throat as we speak."
"Oh? Tell us more" a curious drawled.
"Of course" the guard said automatically, almost relieved to entertain the distraction. "Councilman Tarrlok ma—"
His words caught in his throat. A chill ran down his spine.
That voice had not come from the huddled crowd. It was closer.
It came from behind him.
He turned—only for the world to lurch.
His vision spun. His head kept turning past the limits of flesh and bone, until the floor rushed up to meet him.
He landed with a dull thud. And as his sight dimmed, the last thing his eyes took in was the sight of his own body, still standing… without him.
A wet sound followed. Then silence.
'Hm. Maybe I should've given him a little more time to react' Zhen thought, tapping the flat of his blade against his shoulder.
He stepped over the collapsing corpse without a flicker of remorse in his expression.
Gasps and shrieks broke out. Servants scrambled back against the walls, pressing themselves away from him. The three remaining guards stood frozen, eyes wide, every ounce of bravado drained away.
Zhen drove his sword point-first in between the floortiles, leaning on it as if it were a walking stick.
"Relax. I'm not here for you. None of you are on our list" his voice was calm, almost conversational, though it only sharpened the terror in the room.
He rolled his palm against the hilt, pausing as he tried to recall the right words. Speaking to crowds clearly wasn't his art.
"I only want one thing" he said at last, his eyes scanning the terrified faces. "Where's Tarrlok?"
Silence gripped the room. No one dared to move or even utter a single sound.
"Oh" Zhen added, as if remembering an after thought. "And before you assume I only knocked the guards out and hope to be rescued…."
He tipped his wrist and let a pair of heavy objects tumble across the floor.
Thump. Roll. Thump.
They rolled with wet, sticky trails until they came to rest at the feet of the crowd.
Heads. Cleanly cut, glassy-eyed, faces locked in agony.
The room went still. No one even breathed.
The servants and guards shifted uneasily, exchanging desperate glances, nudging one another forward—yet none dared to speak. Shakes of the head spread like a contagion. It was plain they knew nothing.
Zhen knew it the moment he scanned their faces.
Still, the absence of a sitting Councilman would stir whispers eventually. The silence meant they didn't have to worry about Tarrlok going off grid.
It meant someone was making sure of that fact.
His gaze swept the room once… twice… until it caught on a particular figure, quivering against the wall.
A grin tugged at his lips. He booted his sword free of the floor, swinging it lazily onto his shoulder as he walked.
The crowd parted before him without a word, servants and guards shrinking aside like waves pulling back from a prow. His steps echoed, until he stopped before an older man—finely dressed compared to the other, though trembling all the same.
Recognition flared. Zhen's grin widened.
"Well. Long time no see"
"COUNCIL PAGE"
AGE: 56
STATUS: Council Page
"I-I don't know where the Councilman is!" the man stammered, dropping to his knees and bowing so low his forehead nearly brushed the floor. His voice cracked, his satire frame slick with sweat.
Cold steel brushed under his chin. He flinched as Zhen tilted his head upward with the tip of his blade, forcing his eyes to meet his own.
"You've done some pretty filthy things" Zhen said softly, maintaining his casual demeanor . "Whether Tarrlok knew, or you did it behind his back, I don't really care. Only thing that matters now is the choice of sparing you… or killing you"
The Page's throat bobbed. He tried to avert his gaze, but Zhen's eyes pinned him like a hawk. Panic finally broke through the man's trembling lips.
"I-I… urgh…" his words stumbled, cracked. "He-he has… safehouses. They're all spread outside the city. He might be in one of those"
"Any he favors?" Zhen pressed.
The Page shut his eyes, racking his mind, clinging to scraps of memory.
"Th-there is one… in the mountains. He's visited it multiple times this season. The snow and trees mask its location—I don't know exactly where, but… but it's there"
'That should be enough' Zhen thought, the edge of satisfaction flickering across his features.
But before he could crack a word, the old man broke.
He dropped forward, palms pressed together, his voice cracking into a pitiful plea.
"I told you everything—please! Please, let me go!" tears welled in the corner of his eyes, desperation spilling with them.
Zhen stared at him in silence. His fingers tightened on the hilt until the leather creaked, the tension humming through his arm.
One second.
Another.
Relief began to trickle into the Page's shoulders. His breaths came quick, but hopeful—perhaps, just perhaps, he would live.
He didn't even have to tell him about an important note. Hoping it'd lead to his demise.
And then the cold hit him
Ghk—
The sound strangled from his throat as a sudden wetness spread through his chest.
Liquid bubbled upward, choking him, spilling hot and thick over his tongue before cascading from his lips in a crimson stream.
The Page's eyes widened, disbelief and terror etched in them as their life drained away.
"Thanks for the info, though lacking" Zhen said flatly, not a trace of feeling in his tone.
He drew the blade free in one clean pull.
The old man collapsed, gurgling on the floor, hands clutching weakly at his wound.
He writhed, choking on his own blood, but no one moved. Not a servant, not a guard. Not one dared step forward with Zhen watching, his expression unreadable as he stood over the dying man.
Zhen's face never twitched. No disgust, no pleasure, not even pity. He simply watched as the life slipped from the Page's eyes.
But the crowd around him—if they were any better, they did not show it. They trembled, they sweated, their fear stank in the air. Some averted their eyes, some but their lips, others hugged themselves as if that would make them invisible.
Fear.
Loathing.
Anger.
Self-preservation.
But not remorse. Not pity. None of them mourned the man choking his last on the floor.
They thought only of how they would survive this encounter themselves.
With a quiet rasp, Zhen slid his blade back into its sheath.
'Nothing else here is worth killing' he decided, and turned away.
Not a soul barred his path. None shouted for alarm, no last-ditch act of bravery. Even the guards kept their silence, only clutching their hands uselessly at their sides.
And so Zhen walked out the door, leaving only human selfishness behind.
—————————————————————————————
[Some Place Else - Underground Equalist Prison]
Deep beneath Republic City, in the cracked spine of a tunnel, an uneasy alliance was taking shape.
"So you're telling me they don't have Korra?" the boy with the red scarf demanded, his voice sharp with suspicion. His scowl cutting through the dim light. "Bullshit. How do we know they're not lying through their teeth!"
MAKO
AGE: 18
STATUS: Doubtful
"Mako is right, Lin" the man beside him spoke with a calm that didn't reach his eyes. His orange robes were streaked with dust. "There's no reason for them to tell us the truth. And certainly no reason for us to believe a word that comes out of their mouths"
"Do we have to do this now?" Mako's younger brother muttered, straining against a fractured beam as he braced rubble back into place.
Sweat streaked across Bolin's brow, but his frustration and anxiety aimed squarely at Mako.
BOLIN
AGE: 16
STATUS: Wants To Leave
Beside him, Steam crouched and shifted a heavy block of stone into the gap with unnerving ease.
The hiss of his mask fogged the air as he rumbled. "The small one is right. Doubt is wasted breath"
"STEAM"
AGE: ???
STATUS: Calmed Down For Now
He slammed another slab against the breach, sealing what Lin and he had torn open moments before.
The ground shook with each of his heavy motions. "I already gave the Chief enough information to follow. Save your suspicions for when you're topside before the main forces arrive"
"You can't just—" Mako's protest rose, but was cut clean by a voice that carried more weight than all the stones around them.
"That's enough!"
The command cracked through the chamber. Every head turned toward the woman standing in the glow of her lantern. Even Steam, as big as he is, seemed to shrink against the echo of her authority.
LIN BEIFONG
AGE: 51
STATUS: Already Annoyed
"Right now, I don't care if you trust them or not" Lin said, her boots grinding against the stone floor as she closed the distance to Mako. Her shadow fell across him, her eyes sharp as steel. "But if your little tantrum risks this operation, I'll put you back behind bars myself"
Her glare was enough to cow most men. Mako, however, didn't flinch. He held her gaze, not even showing an ounce of backing down. The air between them crackled with defiance. For a moment, it was iron against fire.
Then—
Tch…
He broke it off, tongue clicking in frustration as he looked away. Pride smoldered in his chest, but he knew better. If Lin locked him up—which she most definitely will—it would only drag him farther from looking for Korra.
Mako stepped aside, crossing his arms, while Bolin and Steam finished shoving the last of the rubble into place, patching the breach into almost a full wall again.
Lin exhaled through her nose, tired already before glancing at Tenzin.
"I know this is confusing, but I need you to trust me. For now" She jerked her head toward the massive figure just beside her. "Our large Equalist friend here will take you out through an exit. Regroup with us at City Hall"
"Why does he need to be separated?" Asami asked, her voice curious but vigilant.
ASAMI SATO
AGE: 18
STATUS: Mako's Girlfriend
"Miss Sato is right" Tenzin added, his tone firm. "I can't just abandon everyone here"
"It's part of the deal" Lin cut in curtly. "Still—"
Her eyes darted toward Steam, studying the loaded weapon of a man she wasn't sure was safe to handle.
"—We need you to reach City Hall first. Make sure our suspect won't get away"
Her words hung in the stale, metallic air. Tenzin, sensing the seriousness in her tone, simply nodded his head in agreement.
Lin shifted her attention to the Equalist, her voice hardening. "We need another exit. One that can fit everyone else"
Steam cooperated without issue. He slipped a folded parchment from a compartment on his gauntlet, the edges worn with soot and grime.
"This palace is riddled with multiple tunnels and exits. If that wasn't obvious enough" his tone carried a hint of dry mockery, even as he flicked the map open across the ground.
He tapped several points with a thick, scarred finger before settling on one in particular.
"The closest passage is right around here. It leads to an abandoned rail line. But we haven't tested the tunnel's stability yet, and the cart down there…" he paused, sighing beneath his mask. "...let's just say, no one knows if it'll even start"
"We can make it work" Lin cut in, her voice carrying certainty. "The real question is if whether the cart can even hold all of us"
Her gaze swept the hall—over a dozen weary officers leaning on each other for strength, three teenagers standing out like misfits, and two Equalists who didn't quite belong anywhere.
Steam gave a short, dismissive scoff. "Should be fine. They were built to carry tons of mining supplies."
As Lin and Steam argued logistics, the teenagers drifted into their own corner of conversation.
Asami lingered near Mako, her brows knit in quiet worry as she watched him brood, jaw tight, his arms folded across his chest.
With a small breath, she turned to the one person who understood him best.
"Bolin" she said softly, her voice carrying the same gentleness she reserved only for Mako. "What's going on with Mako?"
Bolin blinked, caught off guard.
He scratched the back of his neck and thought for a moment before offering the simplest truth. "He's just worried about Korra. We all are"
"Yeah… but it feels different with him" Asami pressed, glancing at Mako again as he leaned against the wall, scowling at nothing. "Did something… happen between them?"
Bolin froze. His eyes flicked away, and his lips parted as if to speak—but he stopped himself.
Whatever he knew, he wasn't about to say it. Though it seems his expression already gave Asami a hint that he does know something.
"Uh—oh" he coughed, faking casual with a grin that didn't quite land. "I mean, I don't know what you're talking about. He's just being his usual grumpy self. Classic Mako. Haha…"
Only an idiot would buy that. He couldn't have looked more suspicious if he wore a sign around his neck.
Asami's eyes narrowed. Bolin didn't seem to be a good liar even on his best day, and right now, he was sweating bullets. She could have let it go—pretended she believed him—but the knot twisting in her chest was stronger than her patience.
"C'mon, Bolin" she said gently but firmly. "You know something"
It was all it took for him to crack. His shoulder slumped, his eyes darting everywhere but her face.
"Well… I wouldn't say anything happened exactly. I mean, it was a while ago, and I don't even remember it right, and I was crying so I don't think I saw it right, and then I left—" his words tumbled out too fast, a frantic mess, his hands gesturing wildly as though they could distract from what he was saying.
Whether he was doing it on purpose or not was hard to tell. Though he does seem pretty shaken telling the story.
"And then during the tournament one thing happened, and then another, and then they kissed and—"
Asami managed to catch onto one word that mattered most despite rapid fire explanation, her voice sharp as it cut through his ramble.
"Wait. Wait. Wait" she stared at him, wide-eyed. "They… kissed?"
Bolin winced at her, suddenly raising her voice.
"Well—yeah" he admitted sheepishly, hands lifting in surrender. But almost immediately scrambled to defend his brother. "Believe me, I was upset too. But I'm completely over it. And… I don't really think it meant anything"
He tried to wave it off, to stuff the truth back into the shadows where it belonged.
But Asami only felt the pit in her stomach deepen. If Bolin had to insist it meant nothing… then maybe it meant more than she feared.
Her jaw tightened, her voice clipped. "I doubt that"
She glanced at Mako again across the cavern. He was hunched in his usual brooding silence.
For a second, her glare burned hot—accusation. But then it faltered, softening into something far worse.
Disappointment.
In him… or in herself, for not seeing it sooner? She didn't know.
"Everyone, hurry up. We're moving out"
Lin's command cut through the tension before Asami could decide. The Chief strode to the center, coat dusted with stone grit.
Bolin shuffled after Asami like a guilty child, while she passed by Mako without so much as a glance.
But it's not like he noticed anyway—too wrapped up in his own storm.
The ground clustered around Lin, no one daring to question her authority.
"The plan's simple" Lin said. "We're heading through an unmarked tunnel system. Sato—" her gaze pinned Asami. "—you're on the cart. I don't care how old or rusted it is. Make it move"
Asami nodded.
Lin's eyes shifted to the brothers next. "You two are with me. We'll keep the Equalists away from the cart as long as she can get it moving"
Before she could continue, one of the uniformed officers raised a timid hand. "Cheif… What about us?"
"As you are now? Deadweight" Lin replied without sparing their feelings. "You'll all wait in the cart. Assist the Sato girl if she needs extra hands"
No one argued. Without their bending, they knew she was right.
Lin finally turned to the two masked Equalists. "You two guard the cart. Anything that slips past us—you take them down"
"Fine by me" the younger one said. A slight figure in a plain dress.
SERA
AGE: 16
STATUS: "NEEDLE"
She jabbed an elbow into her partner's ribs when she caught him swaying.
He blinked awake with a sluggish start, one eye barely open.
"Hugh? Uh, yeah. Sure. Whatever" his voice was flat, bored.
QORU
AGE: 19
STATUS: "PHANTOM"
Then, as he hadn't entirely registered everything, he leaned toward Sera and cupped his hand over his mask to whisper. "So… what's the plan again?"
Sera sighed beneath her mask. "I'll explain it on the way"
The plan was set, everyone understood their roles and gathered themselves. But before they could move, an accusing voice cut in.
"What about him?"
Mako didn't bother hiding his disdain. He pointed straight at Steam, who had been minding his own business, standing quietly at Lin's side.
"He'll be feeding our pursuers false information after getting Tenzin out. Slowing them down as much as he can" Lin replied flatly, answering for him before Steam could speak.
Mako stepped forward, fists clenched. "And we're just supposed to just trust him?"
Lin's glare snapped toward him like a whip. "I don't care if you don't trust him. It doesn't even matter if I do. His job is simply to buy us time. Whether he does it or not, it won't change the plan"
She took a step closer to Mako, glaring down at him again.
"Now—if that isn't good enough for you, I can leave you here"
Mako's jaw tightened, but he bit back his words. Silence was his only retreat.
"Anyone else?" Lin asked, scanning the group, daring another opposition.
No one spoke. The younger ones exchanged glances, but after Mako's little display, none dared voice any concerns.
Meanwhile, Lin's officers stood resolute, their trust in her absolute.
Satisfied, Lin gave a curt nod. "Then let's get going. Do what you need to do"
The half-metal giant gave a single grunt of acknowledgment, steam hissing from the vents of his mask as he turned away, Tenzin following behind him. Their footsteps rumbled through the cavern, growing fainter with distance.
The rest went the opposite way, Lin at the head of the column.
—————————————————————————————
[Dragon Flats Borough - Equalist Hideout]
The gears of movement were turning, but a key piece was still missing.
The Avatar.
"AMON"
AGE: ???
STATUS: Waiting
Much like Zhen, the council, her friends, and every power-hungry official in Republic City, Amon was expending resources in the search. The difference was simple: his patience.
The steel door to the observation deck groaned open, and a middle-aged man stepped through. His Equalist uniform tailored sharp to his frame, twin electrified batons strapped across his back.
"LIEUTENANT"
AGE: ???
STATUS: Gathering Information
"Report" Amon commanded, without turning.
His masked gaze remained fixed on the factory below, where rows of his subordinates prepared, packing equipment in crates before shipping them out in trucks.
The Lieutenant bowed his head before speaking. "We managed to track Zhen's movements. But… It's getting difficult. He slips away every time we close in"
"To be expected" Amon replied calmly. His tone carried no edge, yet the truth struck like a blade. "If he really wanted to, you wouldn't even be able to catch a glimpse of him"
The Lieutenant's jaw tightened. He had no defense—because Amon was right.
"Nonetheless" Amon continued, folding his hands behind his back. "What of the Avatar? Any sign?"
The Lieutenant hesitated before answering. "It seems… Zhen has uncovered a lead. But it's hardly reliable. Still, we've begun our own investigations instead of—"
"And?" Amon cut him off. "What have you found?"
Silence weighed heavy.
The Lieutenant's throat worked, but there was only one answer.
"...Nothing"
Amon's masked face betrayed no reaction, but his voice cut through the air. "Then continue tailing Zhen. If he's allowing himself to be followed so openly, it means he wants us to"
The Lieutenant gave a short nod, already half-turned toward the door when he paused.
"There is more I would like to report"
Amon did not sigh, but his silence carried the weight of impatience. The Lieutenant pressed on, the earlier disappointment in his tone replaced with a flicker of pride.
"The matter with the Avatar aside—the new task force has completed their training. They're prepared for deployment"
Amon shifted, just enough to let the shadows crawl differently along the carved slits of his mask.
"I've told you not to squander resources on that proposition" his words were sharp, though there was an undercurrent of curiosity.
The Lieutenant straightened, voice firm and unshaken this time.
"By the time your order came, too much had already been invested. Instead of just letting it go to waste, I chose to see it through. And the results…" a rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "They exceeded every expectation"
At his signal, the steel doors groaned open once more, spilling dim light into the chamber.
Three figures stepped inside. Though cloaked, they each were of a different height and build, yet bound together by their matching Equalist garb. Their presence weighed on the air, like predators loosened into foreign territory.
Even Amon, whose composure rarely faltered, regarded them for a moment longer than he intended. His gaze slid over them, then away again, dismissing them as easily as he acknowledged them. Yet, within the stillness, he conceded: the Lieutenant's confidence was not unfounded.
"Then there is one thing left to do. To measure their worth" Amon's voice dropped lower as he gave the command. "Give them their targets, Lieutenant. Let them hunt"
The Lieutenant's lips curled, satisfaction breaking through his composure. As if he had been waiting—aching—for those words.
"As you command"
—————————————————————————————
[Underground Equalist Prison]
They found the abandoned rail tracks quickly, but there was no time to celebrate. Everyone scattered into motion.
Asami and Lin's officers dropped to their knees by the derelict cart, prying open the control panel and fumbling with wires and checking gears in exposed cracks. The rest of the group fanned out across the cavernous chamber, preparing makeshift defensive walls.
Steam, though not part of the main group, was off running interference. For the moment, his efforts kept pursuers at bay—but Lin knew that could change in a heartbeat.
"How much longer, Sato?" her urgent voice cut across the cavern.
"Five minutes!" Asami called back, head buried under the panel, sweat streaking her temple.
Lin straightened, scanning the multiple openings in front of her. "Stay sharp"
The brothers flanking her mirrored her stance, bending ready. None of them could afford to relax, not even for the promise of a few short minutes.
A sudden crackle split the air.
—Zzzt… Chief… Zzzt…
Everyone froze, heads turning toward the dusty radio strapped to the cart.
"Chief!" an officer shouted, holding it aloft so Lin could hear.
Steam's voice came through, fractured by static but his urgency clear.
—I can't hold the main force back… Zzzt… They're moving fast—
The transmission cut off in a harsh buzz, silence crashing down like stone.
Pssshhh—Poof!
Smoke hissed and burst around them, flooding the cavern in thick, choking clouds.
Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!
Multiple Bolas snapped through the haze, whistling straight for Lin, Mako, and Bolin.
Lin didn't need sight—her ears caught the whip of cords cutting air. In an instant, she slid left, stomped, and wrenched a wall of earth up to full height. The bolas struck uselessly against stone, clattering to the ground.
Bolin barely reacted in time, throwing himself into a crouch as an earth dome sprang up around him. The cords rattled harmlessly against its shell.
Mako, more reckless, fought as if he were back in the ring—snapping bursts of fire into the smoke, catching the projectiles mid-flight. Some fizzled, others ignited in bursts of sparks, but the effort left him standing exposed and tired in the haze.
"Don't let them corner you!" Lin barked. She couldn't see them, but she knew where they were positioned.
The metal of her boots retracted with a hiss. Bare soles pressed into stone. Her world shifted. Vibrations flooded her senses in pulsing waves.
In her mind, the battlefield unfolded. Mako already tangling with two Equalists in close quarters. Bolin huddled safe inside his dome, throwing disk shaped rocks through holes like a bunker. Asami crouched at the cart, frantic hands working wires. Sear and Qoru, holding their own.
But beyond her allies—many dozens of new signatures. Equalists pouring in from every entrance, boots hammering stone.
Surrounding.
Advancing.
Some already cutting past, making a direct push for the cart.
"Chief! I need to get to Asami!" Mako shouted, panic creeping into his voice as he caught sight of the advancing wave.
"No!" Lin barked back, shutting him down instantly. Her tone cracked like a whip. "If we don't hold the line here, they'll be crushed before she can even start the cart!"
Mako grit his teeth, but before he could argue again, the chaos behind them made his worry pointless.
Where the smoke thinned, the ground was littered with bodies. Equalists lay strewn unconscious, some twitching with slender needles stuck in their flesh, others frozen in awkward heaps.
"They're doing better than I thought" Qoru mused, voice casual, almost bored, as if he were narrating a sports match.
He sat comfortably atop an unconscious Equalist, whose low groans served as his chair's only protest.
Sera slipped through the haze, her blade's hilt cracking against a temple with practiced precision.
Another Equalist crumpled at her feet.
"But isn't that what you'd expect from Chief Lin?" she asked, adjusting her mask.
Qory smirked under his own. "Not her. The brothers. For a couple of runts, they're making Amon's finest look sloppy"
"They're pretty much athletes, I think?" Sera countered, though her tone wavered, like she wasn't entirely sure what that meant. Still, she offered it as defense.
The pair lingered in the smoke's edge, their movements precise. Not the storm like Lin and the brothers, but the undertow—snaring stragglers, silencing anyone who slipped too close to the cart.
"Hey" Sera said suddenly, her voice low but cutting through the clash of battle. "You know where Leader is, right?"
Qoru tilted his head, considering whether to brush her off. But something in her tone made him relent.
"He's in Republic City" he answered at last, honestly. "Looking for the Avatar. If he's found something by now, he'll have left us a message"
"Does he know you're doing…. This?" Sera asked, flicking a needle into the neck of a charging Equalist.
The man simply collapsed with a grunt.
Qoru locked another into a headlock, barely breaking a sweat. "Helping the police infiltrate the Equalist prison? Yeah. This was his p—"
"We got it started!" Asami's shout from the cart cut him off.
Lin didn't waste a second. "Mako! Get your brother to the cart!"
She stomped hard, a wall of earth roaring up to block the advancing Equalists.
"NOW!"
Mako didn't argue. He sprinted to Bolin, grabbed his brother's sleeve, and yanked hard.
"Woah—hey! Wait!" Bolin stumbled after him, wide-eyed, but Mako's grip was iron.
The two bolted for the cart, Lin covering their retreat with slabs of earth.
By the time they even see the cart, Sera and Qoru were already inside, holding the door against the Equalist swarming the cart's door.
"I'm running out of needles here!" Sera barked, snapping another from her belt and whipping it through the smoke.
An Equalist screamed and dropped, but more pressed in.
Qoru fought bare-handed, driving back Equalists with sharp kicks and elbow strikes, not bothering to knock them out. "Then make them count! What do you want me to do, pick some up for you?"
"Please?" Sera deadpanned between throws.
"No time!" Lin barked, shoving Bolin and Mako ahead. "Inside—now!"
The brothers tumbled into the cart, Lin right behind them. She stormed straight to Asami's side, voice like steel.
"What are you waiting for? An invitation? Go!"
"I'm! Trying!" Asami gritted, straining against the lever. The machinery groaned but didn't give. "Something's stuck—it won't release the brakes!"
Qoru caught the words over the din. Still holding the Equalists at bay.
He reached for the short sword across his back. "I got it"
He managed to vault inside at the last second, planting a boot on the doorframe. Bracing himself, he rammed the blade into the exposed gears beneath the window.
CLANK-CLUNK—SHHHHHHRRRRR!
The cart lurched violently, almost throwing everyone off their feet.
"Oh that's not go—" Qoru started.
But his voice was swallowed as the cart jolted free, momentum slamming it forward. With a deafening screech, it rocketed down the rusted rails, plunging into the dark tunnel at breakneck speed.
Everyone grabbed whatever they could as the cart threatened to throw them loose.
"We've gotta slow it down!" Asami shouted, her voice nearly lost in the shriek of steel. "If we hit a turn, we'll crash!"
Lin was the only one close enough to hear. Forcing herself upright against the sway, she staggered across the jolting floor, but no vision was present. No headlights. No visibility. Just a roaring tunnel of dark.
She snapped a hand toward the older brother.
"Up! Get up, kid!" She hauled Mako by the arm. "I need a light!"
Bracing himself against the cart's frame, Mako thrust half his body out the window. The tunnel wind whipped at him like claws, tearing at his clothes, threatening to rip him free.
Gritting his teeth, he punched a hand forward.
A stream of fire burst forth, hissing bright, spilling gold and red through the cavern. The walls flashed into view—jagged stones, sweeping curves, the tunnel plunging steeply downward.
Relief flickered for an instant—they were still on the rails.
Then the firelight stretched further, and the relief turned to horror.
Ahead, the track simply ended. The rails jutted into empty air, the tunnel wall blown open long ago, leaving nothing but yellow tape to block a black gulf yawning below.
They were hurtling toward a cliff.
"Sato! Hit the brakes!" Lin barked the instant she saw it.
"I'm trying!" Asami yanked the lever up, slamming it down—nothing. The mechanism groaned, sparks spitting from the control panel. "They don't work!"
Everyone who understood why turned their heads in unison toward the reason.
Qoru, sitting in the corner, met their stares. He raised both hands with a sheepish shrug, lips quirking into a grin. "Heh… sorry?"
The cart screamed down the rails, faster and faster. There was no stopping it now without injuring them. Lin clenched her jaw—she needed a plan, quick. A bad one, maybe, but still a plan.
"Mako! To the back!" she snapped.
Her gauntlets snapped open with a metallic hiss, wires shooting out and latching onto the cart's side windows. She swung herself up, boots grinding against the roof, and anchored in place with her second line.
"Give us a boost!" she shouted, voice cutting through the screech of metal.
"What?! Are you crazy?!" Mako yelled back. "You want us to speed up?!"
"We need momentum! Now!" Lin roared. "Have your brother back me up!"
Bolin's eyes went wide, confusion painted all over his face.
"Uh—o-okay?!"
He scrambled to the front, planting his feet in a shaky earthbender stance.
Mako cursed under his breath, but obeyed. He braced, fists clenched tight, heat surging up his arms. With a roar, he thrust both hands forward.
FWOOSH!
Twin jets of flame blasted from his fists, a blazing torrent propelling the cart forward like a rocket. The whole frame shuddered under the force, rattling like it would fly apart at any second.
And with that added burst, they were nearing the dead end.
"You know how to dig, right?!" Lin yelled over the thunder of metal and flame.
"Yeah?!" Bolin called back, though his voice cracked with doubt.
"Good enough! When I give the signal—dig like your life depends on it! Cause your life depends on it!"
No more time. Lin wound her arms back in a blur of spinning metal, then snapped them forward. With a guttural pull she ripped the earth upward.
The cliff face buckled, stone grinding against dirt—then with a deafening crack, a massive ramp of rock erupted before them.
The cart hit it like a launchpad.
They shot into the air.
Up.
Higher Up.
Wait… too far up.
The cavern ceiling rushed toward them like a closing jaw.
"NOW!" Lin's voice cut through their panic.
AHHHHHH!
Bolin squealed, the pitch so high it could've belonged to Sera, which Qoru promptly checked.
But he thrust his hands out, palms together like an arrow, and the earth above split open.
Stone and soil ripped apart, carving a tunnel just wide enough upwards.
Mako grit his teeth, feeling the momentum falter.
He pushed harder, fire bursting brighter behind them to keep the cart from stalling.
The whole earth shook as they punched through layers of dirt, climbing against gravity itself.
But in the choking blackness, the firelight couldn't help them. Earth closed in all around. There was no seeing ahead—only the wild uncertainty of where they would end up.
And whether it would take them outside at all.
—————————————————————————————
[The Streets of Dragon Flats Borough]
So… where had Tenzin been all this time after breaking off from the others?
Well, even with Steam's help in escaping the underground prison, there were still a few issues. The moment Tenzin's robes brushed the open air of Republic City's streets, he was immediately spotted.
Security feeds lit up with his image, and within minutes, the Equalists were swarming like hornets disturbed from their hive.
"Don't lose him!" one of them shouted from the rooftops.
And they didn't. They were relentless—darting over rooftops, leaping between buildings.
Tenzin jumped off from the height, landing lightly on a steet vendor's awning before launching himself upward again with a gust of air. His cloak flared up behind him as he soared.
But the sharp hum of cables slicing through the air told him he wasn't shaking them easily.
No matter how skilled, even an airbending master couldn't stay untouched forever.
He twisted midair, sending a burst of compressed wind to sweep a trio off their feet. They tumbled across the rooftops like ragdolls. But for every Equalist he took down, a dozen more poured in to replace them.
"This is getting ridiculous!" Tenzin muttered under his breath, irritation cracking through his composure.
He ducked beneath a swinging cable, his eyes flicking toward the endless alleys below.
'How in La's name are there so many of them?'
"He's getting tired! Keep 'em coming!" one of the Equalists barked from above.
Tenzin's jaw clenched. His breath started coming hard and fast, misting in the cold air. He hadn't even been running for thirty minutes.
The hiss of metal cut through the wind. A trio of bolas whipped toward him from the shadows, slicing through the air.
"I have just about enough dealing with you people" Tenzin growled, his calm tone cracking with fury.
He pivoted sharply, letting the first bola sweep past his shoulder. The second he sidestepped with only a tilt of his head. The third—he caught it with a swirl of air from his palm, spinning it around him before twisting his arms in a wide arc.
The bolas reversed course like serpents turned on their masters, slamming into the Equalists who'd thrown them.
They hit the ground hard, bodies tumbling through snow and soot as the cables wrapped them tight.
Tenzin straightened his robe, exhaling a slow breath. "Persistent fools"
But even before the last echo of wind died, fresh shouts rang out from the rooftops.
Tenzin, thinking this wouldn't end, started surveying the growing circle of Equalists closing in.
They dropped one by one from the rooftops, surrounding him like wolves. They spun their weapons, cracked their knuckles, snickering at finally cornering their prey.
Though they outnumbered him ten to one, not one of them dared move first. Why would they? When they're currently facing the previous Avatar's son.
Tenzin's expression, like his stance, didn't change. Keeping his stillness as though he's keeping his patience.
For a long, silent moment, not even a breath could be heard. Everyone simply waited for the first spark that would ignite the fight.
But the first move didn't come from either side.
Ting… ting…
Small metal cylinders rolled across the ground, spinning to a stop between the Equalists' feet.
POOF!
A chain of sharp bursts split the silence. Thick clouds of gray smoke billowed outward, swallowing everything but Tenzin whole.
Coughs and shouts filled the haze. Tenzin stayed still, making sure to stay in the middle of the opening. He could hear the struggle—grunts, the thud of bodies hitting pavement, metal clattering against concrete.
Then, silence.
The only sound left was the faint hum of the city.
Nothing but the steps of heavy boots inching closer.
And in front of him, walking forward as though through parting curtains of mist, came a lone hooded figure.
"It was the right choice to leave this to Steam" the voice came familiar to Tenzin's ears.
It was him.
The killer.
The criminal.
…The traitor.
ZHEN
AGE: 19
STATUS: Traitor
—————————————————————————————
[???, ???]
The wind howled, sharp and thin as knives, cutting through the high mountain air beyond Republic City. Snow drifted in sheets, swallowed by the endless white.
There, half-buried in frost and wood, stood a lonely cabin—titmber walls dark with age, roof bowed under the weight of snow.
No roads led to it. No lights burned within. No sign of life stirred.
And yet—
THUD!
The sound cracked through the silence like thunder.
THUD!
Followed by another. Louder. Desperate.
ARGH!
Beneath the cabin, deep underground, the noise carried from a narrow basement chamber. The only light was a single bulb swinging from a frayed wire, its flicker painting the concrete walls in nervous rhythm.
In the center of the room stood a massive metal pod—sealed, humming faintly with pressure. Every few seconds, it shuddered under the weight of a blow from within.
THUD!
"TARRLOK!" the voice inside roared, hoarse and furious, muffled by steel but unmistakably alive.
It echoed again, again, until the air itself seemed to recoil.
The prisoner inside slammed her fist once more, breath ragged against the cold iron.
The light flickered,revealing a single figure within.
KORRA
AGE: 17
STATUS: Missing Person
"Somebody… anybody…" her voice was barely a whisper now, trembling against the metal walls. "Help me…"
Her forehead pressed against the cold steel, slick with her own breath. The air inside was thin, heavy with the tang of rust. Her chest rose and fell in ragged, shallow gasps.
She hadn't eaten. She hadn't drunk. Sleep had long since abandoned her.
Her hands dropped, trembling, her body sliding down until she hit the base of the coffin with a dull clang.
"Damn it…" she muttered, voice cracking as she wiped the sweat from her chin with shaking fingers.
Her limbs ached.
Her vision swam.
Every heartbeat felt like it might be her last.
The Avatar… brought to her knees by empty silence.
Her head tilted back against the wall, breath shuddering out. For a long moment, there was only the faint hum of the air seeping through the vents.
Then—quiety, hoarsely—she spoke again.
"...Zhen"
His name escaped her like a plea. A flicker of warmth in the freezing dark. If she had to think of anyone who could endure something like this—if anyone could survive conditions stacked against them—it was him.
Her eyes fluttered shut. Her body screamed for rest, but her spirit refused. Not yet.
Not when there were still people to protect.
Not when she still needed answers.
So she straightened her back, forcing her breath steady.
Crossing her legs beneath her, she let her fists connect against each other and closed her eyes.
If she couldn't break through the metal with strength, she'd take the time to break the silence with will.
If she couldn't find a way out, she'd take her time to find answers.
And in the stillness, something stirred—a faint pulse deep within the void. A whisper, distant but familiar.
Because somewhere, something—or someone—was trying to reach her too.
—————————————————————————————
[???, Republic City]
WEE-OOO-WEE-OOO!
The afternoon split apart under the shriek of sirens. Red and blue lights pulsed against the slick pavement, reflecting in every puddle that scarred the empty streets of Dragon Flats Borough.
The air was thick with rain and cold as iron; clouds pressed low and heavy over the city, swallowing what little light the day had left.
The convoy roared through the district—engines snarling, tires slicing through the waterlogged roads—before skidding coordinated halt in front of a run-down restaurant whose sign dangled crooked from a single bolt.
Doors slammed open. Officers poured out, Republic City Police in gray and steel uniforms fanning into formation. Earthbenders raised barriers from the ground while metalbenders sealed intersections with barricades. Others swept the alleys, ushering out any late stragglers with curt commands.
"Is he here?"
The voice carried calm authority beneath the chaos. From the lead vehicle stepped a tall man in flowing orange robes, his arrow tattoos showing bright blue.
AVATAR AANG
AGE: 40
STATUS: Current Avatar
A moment later, a new rumble joined the din. Another vehicle pulled in beside the police convoy, painted in the Fire Nation's deep crimson and black. Soldiers climbed out with rigid precision, the symbol o f flame emblazoned on their armor.
The air itself seemed to tighten as a woman emerged next. Her gait was regal, her presence sharp enough to cut through the drizzle. Her dark hair was tied high and neat, her golden eyes surveying the scene like a hawk scanning for prey.
Two officers in ornate armor followed her flanks.
"If Mai's reports are accurate, Avatar" she said, her tone measured yet proud. "Then this is the only place he could be"
AZULA
AGE: 42
STATUS: Royal Princess of the Fire Nation
"Same as our investigators" Aang replied, his tone calm though his eyes carried a quiet edge. "But I didn't expect you to be lending a hand on this matter"
Azula stepped forward, the faint click of her heels more audible than the murmur of the surrounding officers. She met the Airbender's towering gaze with an almost predatory smirk.
"Don't flatter yourself, Avatar" she drawled, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm only here because my husband requested me to. Not because I have any interest in helping you"
The two stood facing each other locked in a quiet, invisible clash.
Aang's expression didn't waver, though the faintest sigh escaped him. Azula only smiled wider, the corner of her lips curling with amusement as he patted his arm in mock camaraderie.
"Let's get this over with" she said, turning toward the old restaurant door. "The sooner we finish, the sooner I can get back home with my beloved"
Aang said nothing, only followed in silence, his robes brushing against the damp ground as they approached the entrance side by side.
But before they could open the entrance, a sharp, commanding voice cut through the air.
"What are you two doing here?"
They turned simultaneously. Standing behind them was a tall woman clad in the gray and steel uniform of Republic City's finest. Her stance was firm, her white, unseeing eyes aimed in their direction—but not directly at them.
TOPH BEIFONG
AGE: 38
STATUS: Chief of Police
With her brow arched, Toph planted a hand on her hip, showing clear irritation in her voice.
"I had this under control" she said, almost daring Aang to disagree.
"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't get involved" aang replied, his calm voice mixed with unease. "But if what those victims said is true, then we're not dealing with a normal criminal"
At that, Toph eased slightly.
No matter how long it had been, Aang was still her friend—and if anyone could be trusted when things got strange, it was the Avatar.
Still, she wasn't about to soften in front of her.
She tilted her head toward Azula with a crooked smirk. "What about you, Princess Lunatic? Lose your way again?"
"Oh?" Azula turned slowly, showing a grin as sharp as glass. "I that the sound of incompetence I hear?"
Toph's fist tightened. "Why, I'll show you—"
"Not right now, Toph" Aang cut in firmly, stepping between them before sparks became fire. "We have more pressing matters to handle"
Toph grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms. "Fine. But once this is over, I want Miss Mademoiselle out of my city"
Azula gave a mocking smile. "At least we agree on something. Now, can we get started so I can finally leave?"
Toph ignored her entirely, turning on her heel and heading toward the entrance.
She raised a hand to the nearby officers, the metal door creaking open at her signal.
"Follow me, Twinkle Toes"
Aang let out a long, weary sigh as he stepped after her. "I'm forty years old, Toph. Can we please stop with the nicknames?"
Without missing a beat, Toph glanced back—her sightless eyes somehow showing mischief—and smirked.
"'Fraid not"
All three of them stepped through the door, flanked by Fire Nation Royal guards and Republic City Police Officers.
The restaurant was far from empty, but it might as well have been.
The air was still. Lifeless. Dozens of people lingered inside, seated at tables or standing against the walls… watching.
But no one spoke. None ate. Only the dull creak of the floorboards broke the silence as the group advanced.
The further they went, the heavier the air felt. The tension was thick as eyes followed their every move.
At the far end of the room, two grunts stood before a booth.
And there, seated casually with a meal before him, was a man who carried himself like royalty despite his surroundings, his skin was tan, his clothing came from Water Tribe—modified, regal even—and his posture oozed arrogance.
YAKONE
AGE: 50
STATUS: Criminal Boss
"It's over, Yakone" Toph said, her tone steel as she jabbed a finger at him. "You're under arrest"
Yakone didn't so much as flinch. His grin spread, his self-assurance showing as he looked up from his plate.
"What is Republic City coming to?" he drawled. "Used to be a man could enjoy his lunch in peace"
He lifted his chopsticks—
Fwip!
Before they could even touch his lips, Toph's metal cables shot forward from her waist, wrapping around his wrist.
In an instance, the entire room erupted into motion. Officers poured in, bending metal to subdue Yakone's men. Chairs scraped, boots thudded. But not a single blow was exchanged.
No one resisted.
They simply… surrendered.
It unsettled Azula's sharp senses.
As Yakone was pulled from his seat, one of the metal benders took over, locking his hands behind his back.
"What's the big idea?" he asked mildly, as though he were being inconvenienced rather than arrested.
Aang stepped forward, his voice showing heavy accusation. "We have more than a dozen witnesses, Yakone. We know what you are"
Yakone's grin only widened.
"You've had witnesses before, Avatar. But I've beaten every trumped-up charge you yahoos have brought against me" He glanced over his shoulder as the officers began to escort him out, his tone turning smug. "And I'll beat this one, too"
He was led away, his men following in eerie silence.
As the last of them exited, Aang, Toph, and Azula stood in the middle of the now-empty restaurant.
Toph was the first to speak. "I'll go on ahead to make sure he doesn't escape"
Aang nodded grimly. "We'll head to City Hall. Get his trial underway before he tries anything"
Toph nodded before heading out first, keeping her people in line.
Aang turned to Azula, who seemed lost in thought, her gaze drifting.
"Will you be heading back?" he asked.
Azula hesitated, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly.
"No. If I go home now without seeing this through and it goes wrong, my beloved will nag me all night. Besides—" a smirk touched her lips. "It'll make Zuzu owe me for helping you"
Aang chuckled softly. "Thank you. Having you there will help ensure Yakone gets what he deserves. Tell Tenzo as well"
Azula folded her arms with a sigh, shaking her head. 'These two…'
She brushed past Aang, giving his arm a light pat. "The all-powerful Avatar can't go see his friend and thank him himself? How laughable"
Her tone dripped with sarcasm, but Aang caught the humor beneath it and smiled.
By the time she reached Toph, the earthbender had already sensed her coming—and the tension between them flared again.
Aang could only sigh as the two women were about to square off again. Same as always.
Meanwhile, the cold wind outside howled through the empty streets of Republic City.
End