Endgame! - Part 1

Elira sat behind Bolin in Naga's saddle as the polar bear dog ran along the snowy ground.  Hearing the buzzing of biplanes, she glanced up and saw one fly above them.

The group stopped on an overhanging cliff and saw the airfield in the near distance. 

"I think we've found our secret airfield," Iroh said before turning to Bolin "Bolin, once we get down there, I need you to tear up those runways. We can't let those aircraft take off." 

 "Aye aye, captain!" Bolin saluted and Elira nudged him slightly 

"Ooh, general, general." He corrected, suddenly standing up straight and hurriedly did another salute. 

The others walked off and Elira turned to the animals when she heard Naga whine. 

"All right, you guys wait here until we get back, okay?" Naga went to follow her, but Elira held up her hand " Uh-uh, stay"

Naga whined again and Pabu and Pichi chittered as the Polar bear dog lay on the ground. 

"Good girl, we won't be long" El smiled and ran after the others. 

The group headed down the hill and approached the Equalist base perimeter fence. Elira glanced around confused. There were posts but no wires.

"Why would there be fence posts but no fence?" Asami wondered suspiciously 

Elira tilted her head slightly, her eyes widening when her advanced hearing picked up the faint sound of electricity buzzing. 

"Wait!" 

She grabbed Bolin's arm just as he and the others went into the middle of the fence posts. 

They all cried out in pain as electricity shot through their bodies until they collapsed onto the ground unconscious.

*

When the group were locked in a cell in the base. Asami was laying on the floor while Iroh and Bolin were tied back to back. 

But Elira was nowhere in sight. 

Bolin lifted his head groggily, looking around and his eyes widening when he didn't see his best friend.  

Hiroshi Sato approached the jail cell

 "Asami" He called. His daughter groaned as she stirred and sat up. 

" Asami, I know I have hurt you ... and I am sorry. But I believe that one day, you will come to your senses and we can be a family again" 

"Are you insane?!" Asami snapped angrily "How can we be a family after everything you've done?! Mom would hate you for what you've become." 

"How dare you? I am avenging her death!" Hiroshi roared, gripping the bars 

"Where's El?! What have you done with her?!" Bolin yelled, glaring at the man. 

Hiroshi turned to the boy with a scowl "That parasite is headed back to the city, where Amon will be very pleased to see her"  

The trio gasped in shock, Bolin struggling against the ropes. 

"No!" 

"You can't do that!" 

"El's done nothing! Leave her alone!" 

Hiroshi ignored their cries as an Equalist came up behind him "The aeroplanes are ready for take-off, sir." 

"Good, annihilate the fleet," Hiroshi ordered and Iroh and Bolin gasped, sharing a look of confusion and shock.

"That's right, general. I intercepted your message to Commander Bumi. I know exactly where they're hiding" Hiroshi smirked as the general glared at him. 

*

Back in the city, the entrance of the Pro-bending Arena was guarded by an Equalist airship and mecha tanks. Equalist posters handing all over. 

Inside the rally, Korra and Mako, wearing Equalist disguises, stood guard on a balcony with their hands behind their backs. They nodded at each other, ready to expose Amon as a fraud. 

The platform rose and Amon appeared on the stage making the crowd cheer and applaud. 

"Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion!" He said to the crowd as they cheered " When I was a boy, a firebender struck down my entire family and left me scarred. That tragic event began my quest to equalize the world" 

"That's a lie, Amon!" Korra's voice rang out over the crowd making them all look up at the balcony as the two removed their chi-blocker masks. 

 "Or should I call you Noatak?" 

Amon narrowed his eyes at the teen. 

"You want her taken out?" The Lieutenant asked 

"No" Amon held up his hand, walking forward on the stage "Everyone calm down, we have nothing to fear from the Avatar. Let's hear what she has to say" 

"Amon has been lying to you. The spirits didn't give him the power to take people's bending away. He uses bloodbending to do it" Korra pointed at Amon accusingly " Amon is a waterbender!" 

 The crowd gasped in surprise and The Lieutenant turned to Amon confused

"What is this nonsense?" 

"You're desperate, Avatar" Amon called to Korra "Making up stories about me is a pathetic last resort" 

"Your family wasn't killed by a firebender. His father was Yakone!" Korra revealed and the crowd gasped again "And his brother ... is Councilman Tarrlok!" 

 The Lieutenant sported a doubting look at first before inquiringly looking at his leader. 

"Hmph, an amusing tale, but I will show you the truth" Amon pulled down his hood and untied his mask revealing his scarred face, making the crowd gasp

" This is what a firebender did to me. " He pointed to his face 

" What?" Korra looked confused and surprised as murmurs break out in the crowd and Amon put his mask back on. 

"The Avatar is lying!" Someone shouted

"I'm telling you! He's a waterbender" Korra yelled pointing at Amon but the crowd refused to believe her. 

 She turned to Mako; defeated "They don't believe me. It didn't work!" 

" We said what we had to. Let's get out of here." Mako backed up toward Korra 

The pair turned around as Equalists span bolas at them from above the balcony ready to attack. They took fighting stances as they approached the Equalists on their way out.

"I wouldn't leave yet, Avatar. You'll miss the main event." Amon called out 

Korra and Mako turned around as two Equalists came onto the stage. Dragging a struggling Elira with them. 

"El!" Mako gasped, his eyes wide as he ran to the edge of the balcony. 

"Get off me!" The airbender growled as she was pushed to her knees. 

 A part of the stage suddenly rose up and Elira froze. Her eyes broad in horror and fear. 

 Tied to each pole, chained and gagged was her father, grandmother and three younger siblings! 

Upon seeing their big sister, the kids let out muffled cries, struggling against their chains. Elira felt like the air had been kicked out of her. Her heart broke at the terrified looks in their eyes. 

"No ... they got away" Korra muttered, sharing a worried and confused glance with Mako " We saw them get away!" 

*

Back in the airbase, the trio were still locked up in the cell. 

"How are we gonna get out of here?" Asami questioned 

"I don't suppose you know how to metalbend?" Iroh asked, looking over his shoulder at Bolin 

"That is a negative, Sir" The teen replied and Iroh pouted. 

 Suddenly, there was the sound of running, and the warehouse door exploded inward as Naga came charging in with Pichi flying beside her and Pabu on her head. 

"Naga! Over here!" Bolin loudly whispered and the animal came bounding over. 

Paby jumped off Naga's head, going through the bars with Pichi and climbing into Bolin's lap. Naga then reared up roaring and smashed her front paws onto the jail door, breaking it and freeing the trio. 

"Who needs a metalbender? We got Naga! Yeah!" Bolin cheered, ecstatic as Pabu squeaked in his lap.

Pichi chittered sadly as she looked around the jail cell, seeing no trace of her owner. She glanced up at Bolin, her ears folding down. 

"Don't worry, Pich. We'll save her" He reassured the lemur as Pabu chewed through the ropes restraining him. 

Once free from their bindings, the trio got up and ran out of the warehouse, seeing the planes already taking off. 

"I'm going after those aeroplanes." Iroh declared, running ahead

Naga suddenly scooped up Bolin into her saddle as he was running in front of her

"Ahh! No, Naga!" The earthbender yelled as the polar bear dog dashed off 

Asami noticed two empty mecha tanks standing nearby. She smirked and ran over, quickly jumping inside one. 

"Huh, what do you know ... just like a Future Industries forklift" She smiled, turning on the machine and buckling herself in. 

Out on the runway, Iroh ran after the fleeing planes and used his firebending to propel himself forward like a rocket. He caught up with one of the planes and grabbed onto the wings, pulling himself on. 

The pilot looked over his shoulder as Iroh grabbed onto him and threw him out of the plane. Iroh quickly got into the driver's seat and began to steer it. He was a little wobbly at first, never having been in a plane let alone drive one before, but he soon gained control and flew after the remaining planes in the distance. 

*

Elira stared at her family in shock before jumping to her feet and rushing toward them. 

The two Equalists who dragged her on quickly grabbed hold of her. 

"No! Let them go! Let them go!" She screamed, kicking her legs out in a desperate attempt. 

She couldn't bend, having been chi-blocked prior to being dragged onto the stage. Her family were all calling out to her behind their gags making her fight even harder. She couldn't let them lose their bending. She couldn't. 

"Tonight, I rid the world of airbending, forever" Amon raised his arms and the crowd cheered while the two Equalists shoved Elira back to her knees, holding her there as she fought against them. Never once taking her eyes off her family. 

"Amon, let them go!" Korra demanded from up on the balcony. 

"You're welcome to come down here and try to stop me." Amon taunted before walking toward Elira!

The teen turned her attention to the Equalist leader, her eyes widening as she struggled to break free from the chi-blockers. Tenzin yelled out to his daughter behind his gag while futilely trying to break free.

"He's trying to bait you" Mako grabbed Korra's arm as she went to jump over the railing 

"I don't care! We have to save them!" She snapped defiantly while trying to wiggle free. 

"The Avatar needs to be reminded of the power I possess" Amon declared and one of the chi-blockers yanked Elira's hair back making her look up at the Equalist leader as he stood over her. 

"I told you, your time has come, Master Elira" Amon raised his hand towards her face. The teen was frozen in fear.

"NO!" Suddenly, Mako shot a bolt of lightning at the Equalist. 

But it was too late. Amon had pressed his thumb to the airbender's forehead.

Pain erupted through Elira's body. Her mouth falling open in a silent scream. Every nerve in her body was burning. Like her blood was made of fire. 

Amon dodged the lightning strike, that sent the two chi-blockers holding El flying back, and he rolled over to the Lieutenant. 

 Elira slumped to the floor. She could hear her family screaming for her but was too weak to get up. 

She just lay there. Cold.

Horribly, unbearably cold. 

Like all the heat had been drained from the air. 

Mako and Korra used their firebending to jump onto the wall and balance themselves vertically to run across it to the stage. 

Before landing, they both dodged bolas thrown at them and sent a barrage of firebending attacks to get the Equalists away from the family, even knocking one Equalist off the stage.

 The crowd dispersed and ran away from the scene as Mako continued to fight the Equalists and Korra runs to free the airbenders and Azira. 

She went to Tenzin first and untied the gag around his mouth before producing a flame on her finger, and beginning to burn the metal chains binding Tenzin. "Where are Pema and the baby?" 

"In prison," Tenzin replied

"Beifong?" 

"I don't know" 

Korra then broke the metal chains on his feet and Tenzin immediately ran onto the battlefield, assisting Mako as Korra moved to free Azira and the kids. 

Right after Mako threw a fire punch and kick, Tenzin ran in front of him and fired two air blasts, which knocked an Equalist and the Lieutenant off the stage. 

Amon dodged Mako's firebending attack with acrobatic grace, but Tenzin followed with a strong wave of air which the Equalists leader tried to block. It was too powerful, causing him to be blown off the stage.

As soon as Amon was out of sight, Tenzin bolted over to Elira who was surrounded by the others, Zira and Jinora knelt by her side.

"Elira!" He crouched beside his mother and slowly pulled his daughter into his arms. 

"Dad..." Elira whispered, tears falling from her eyes "...My bending..." 

"I know, I know. Let's just get you out of here" Tenzin then stood up with Elira in his arms, clinging to him tightly. Much like her siblings would do to her. 

"Follow me" Korra waved before running off with the others close behind. 

*

They ran out into the hallway before coming to a cross section. 

"Get them out of here. We'll create a diversion" Korra told the adults 

"I'm...going with you" Elira stammered, wriggling out of her father's arms. 

As she landed on her feet her legs gave out and she would've hit the floor had Tenzin and Azira not caught her arms. 

"Elira, you are in no position to fight. You can barely stand" Zira replied 

"El, I promised you that Amon will pay and he will" Korra reminded 

"But what about--" 

"El, go with your family. We'll be okay" Mako reassured with a slight smile 

Elira wasn't convinced and scowled but reluctantly nodded. Tenzin picked her up again and turned to his younger children. " Let's go get your mother and the baby." 

"Prison break!" Meelo shouted raising his arms before the family ran off down the hallway. 

As soon as they're gone, Amon bursts out the door into the hallway. He spotted Korra and Mako and started running towards them. 

Korra blocked his way with a wall of fire as she and Mako ran. She made another one to be safe before the duo ducked into the gym. 

 Amon jumped over the wall of fire, but stopped and looked around to see where they had gone.

The door to the gym swung behind him. He turned around and entered the room. Korra was hiding underneath one of the tables covered by a tarp. She could hear Amon's footsteps as he walked passed her hiding place. 

He stopped for a moment before continuing. 

Korra breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly yelling in fright and pain as Amon bloodbends her out from under the table and into the air.

Mako burst from his hiding place, sending continued attacks of firebending at Amon "Let her go!" 

Amon dodged each attack thrown at him before shooting his arm out and bloodbending Mako, lifting him into the air. 

He slammed both of them onto the ground before bloodbending Mako in place on the floor, and Korra in a kneeling position. 

He walked around Korra and placed his hand on her neck.

"No!" 

"Korra!" 

Amon placed his other hand on her forehead. Her eyes closed and she screamed out in pain!

 Amon let her go and her body slumped to the ground.

"I told you I would destroy you" 

*

Up in the air over Republic City, Iroh was still trailing behind the other planes. He generated lightning from his fingertips before directing at the middle plane, causing it to crash into the plane beside it. 

The other planes quickly dispersed in different directions. 

Iroh followed after one, whose pilot then shot an explosive bola at Iroh's plane causing it to get caught up in the main propeller. 

The general was quick to bail out before the plane exploded. 

 As Iroh free-fell, he used his firebending to propel himself to another plane, landing on the wing and holding on tightly. 

From there, he shot a blast of fire at the plane in front,  disabling one of the propellers. 

The plane Iroh was on titled to the side as the pilot attempted to throw him off. Iroh rolled down the wing and proceeded to fire kick the pilot off the plane and took control of it.

A bomb suddenly fell and managed to hit the rear end of the plane.

 Iroh tried to control the vehicle while the plane above him tried to drop another bomb. 

Standing up, he quickly used his firebending and shot it, causing the plane above him to explode. Meanwhile, his own plane was on a collision course with the Aang's statue. 

Before impact, Iroh quickly jumped out and grabbed the Equalist banner, causing it to tear. He hung in mid-air, watching as the plane crashed into the mask and exploded. 

The mask then fell off the statue with a heavy clunk, revealing Aang's face underneath. 

"Thanks for looking out for me, Uncle Aang." Iroh smiled at the statue of the late Avatar. 

*

 In the aircraft base, Bolin groaned as he destroyed the runway by earthbending. He ran over to the last one, tearing up the ground as three mecha tanks raced up behind him.

They launched cables at him but Naga intercepted them, pulling on the cables with her teeth causing the mecha tanks to topple over. One landed on it's side and slid right up to Bolin's face, almost touching him as he stood still.

"Whoa! Thanks Naga." He called, backing away from the mecha tank rubble

Inside the base Asami was destroying one of the planes with the mecha tank.

"Asami!" Her father called from another mecha tank "What do you think you're doing? You are aiding the very people who took your mother away!"

"You don't feel love for Mom anymore. You're too full of hatred." Asami snapped, moving her tank around to face her father. "You sent an innocent girl to that monster because you can't let go of your anger!"

"You ungrateful, insolent child!" Hiroshi advanced on Asami who attempted to stop him by launching cables at him.

Hiroshi dodged and she missed. Asami's eyes widened in fear as Hiroshi's tank hit, throwing her mecha tank away where it crashed into another plane.

Hiroshi advanced on his daughter again, destroying the faceplate of her mecha tank causing her to shield her face from the broken glass.

" I now see there is no chance to save you!" As Hiroshi raised his tanks arm to crush Asami, a rock suddenly crashed into him, sending the tank off balance slightly.

Glancing over, Bolin continued to throw boulders at the man as he rode in on Naga. "Mr. Sato, you are a horrible father!"

Seeing her was distracted, Asami moved her mecha tank and stood up. She grabbed Hiroshi's mecha tank and threw it away, even tearing off one of the arms.

She approached the downed tank and forced it open. Hiroshi stared up with fear at his daughter while Asami looked at him with hatred. Her gaze eventually fell into pity.

Hiroshi took his chance and tried to attack Asami, sending a cable at her tank.

Asami was able to dodge it, while her father attempted an escape. Climbing out of the mecha tank and making a run for it.

"You really are a horrible father." Asami muttered sadly before throwing an electrified bola at her father.

It wrapped around Hiroshi as he ran away, electrocuting him until he fell unconscious. Asami shed a tear as Naga whimpered sadly