A Cog in the Machine – Book Two, Chapter Nine: Adrift

Disclaimer: In case you haven't figured it out yet, I don't own The Legend of Korra. All Avatar-related characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of Viacom, Bryan Konietzko, and Michael Dante DiMartino.

[-]

Taking her first steps onto the streets of Empire City, rather than merely viewing it from afar, was an…overwhelming experience.

Everywhere she turned, there were throngs of people, hustling and bustling hurriedly from one destination to another. At least four times the amount she'd ever seen in Republic City, even at the peak of rush hour – and nearly as many cars, each of them wedged bumper-to-bumper with the next, and moving forward at a crawl.

She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised; with the world's entire population compressed into a tiny handful of cities, logically those cities would all be experiencing significant overcrowding.

Nevertheless, it felt hard to breathe in a place like this.

"Come now, Korra," said the spirit who'd called himself "Uncle." He placed a kindly hand on her shoulder. "Let's find a quieter place to talk."

They wound up stopping in a small establishment that advertised itself as a "Varri-net Café" (whatever the Varri-net was). While still packed with people, it was at least mercifully quiet compared to the streets outside, with most of the patrons bent over small devices that sat in their lap or palm.

The spirit, who appeared human enough not to raise suspicions, got in line behind half a dozen others. Korra scrutinized the menu posted above the cashier, but couldn't make heads or tails of it.

When they finally reached the front, Uncle adopted a friendly smile and ordered, "I'd like two cups of your finest jasmine tea, please."

"Certainly, sir!" replied the cashier, with self-enforced brightness. "And will those be in giant, massive, supermassive, or cabbage?"

The spirit looked puzzled, sharing a glance with Korra. "Err…just a regular cup, if you please," he said.

"I'm afraid we don't carry that size. If you'd like our smallest cup then that's a 'giant,' sir," the cashier informed them through a far-too-wide smile. "Shall I put that in as your order? If so, your total comes to sixteen yuans."

"Ah, ahem…this is where things get a little awkward, my dear," Uncle murmured pig-sheepishly, turning back to Korra. "You see, there isn't exactly a whole lot of…money in the Spirit World…"

The Avatar raised an eyebrow, at the price if nothing else; now, at least, she understood what Ghazan was always going on about when he ranted over "the dangers of uninhibited inflation." Still, she reached into her pocket and proffered a handful of bills.

"Thank you very much," Uncle told both Korra and the cashier, bowing low to each of them once their teas arrived. Strangely, the drinks were delivered in enclosed containers made of some kind of paper, rather than a traditional teacup.

"Now, let us find a seat…" he added to the teenaged girl, eyeing a secluded, if somewhat cramped, table in the corner of the shop. "I expect you have questions."

[-]

"Sooooo…who are you, anyway?" said Korra, the moment they sat down. "I mean, we've never met, have we? But there's something about you that's so…familiar…"

Uncle didn't answer immediately, instead raising his cup to his lips and taking a lengthy sip. Half a second later, he made a face and practically gagged.

"This isn't tea!" he exclaimed, placing the paper cup back onto the table in disgust. "This is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"

"Uh…isn't that what all tea is?" asked Korra.

The spirit stared at her for several moments, his eyebrows so high on his forehead that they would've disappeared into the hair on his crown – if he still had any.

"We're just going to pretend you didn't say that, young Avatar," he stated, kindly but firmly. "Now…what was the question again?"

"Your name," Korra responded at once. "I mean, it's clear you're not a regular spirit. You know what money is and everything. You used to be human, didn't you?"

Uncle folded his wrinkled hands in his lip. "My, you're perceptive in this Flow," he said quietly. "Such a difference a single change can make…"

"Flow?" repeated the waterbender, without comprehending. "What're you talking about?"

"That is…well, it's a long story. You've no idea how long," he told her, wearing the same evasive expression Iraki had whenever they'd said something they shouldn't have. "In any event, the answer to your last question is yes. In my original life, I was indeed human. At the time of my passing, I chose to depart my physical body and live amongst the spirits. It's a path few can, or should, choose. But…it was the right one for me."

This whole time, Korra had been wracking her brain, trying to recall where she'd heard his voice before. As she took a sip from her own tea – which, in his defense, really was revolting – it suddenly came to her.

"You were in my dream. Three months ago," she murmured. "You were riding some kind of…dragon-bird?"

"Dragon-phoenix, to be precise," Uncle corrected her, reaching one hand into his billowy green robes. "Quite the majestic little fellow, isn't he?"

A small creature emerged from his pocket, which lay snoozing across his palm. It was certainly some kind of reptile-bird, but nothing about it seemed to scream "majestic." It was tiny, with reddish-purple feathers and stubby little horns.

"She's resting now, but trust me. The things she gets up to when she's in the mood!" said Uncle with a chuckle. "First impressions rarely tell the full story, Korra. Like judging a tome merely by the contents of its very first page."

"Oh, trust me. That's a lesson I've learned the hard way," Korra spat, her face turning dark. "This world's full of liars. Of cheats and thieves. You can't trust the first face anyone shows to you."

That last part, she directed to him with a pointed glare.

The once-human spirit let out a lengthy sigh.

"It's natural for you to feel this way, given how you were raised. As much as it pains me to hear," he replied in low, even tones. "But please, try to be patient with me. We have a great deal to see, and not much time to do it in."

"There's something about you…that I don't trust. I can't put my finger on it, exactly, but…" began the Avatar, before trailing off. "Look – it doesn't seem like I've got much of a choice, so I'll go with you for now. But don't think I didn't notice you dodge my question about your name. You're hiding something from me, and I'm gonna find out what."

"Nothing would make me happier, Korra," he said cryptically, stowing the baby dragon-phoenix back inside his sleeve and placing his nearly full tea straight in the garbage. "Now, let's take in a few more of the sights."

[-]

Korra had only lived in Republic City for three months now. And yet she couldn't shake the sheer sense of wrongness she felt, seeing it transformed like this.

Some of the changes were good, objectively. Many of the buildings were made of stronger, more durable materials. The roads were cleaner and smoother. The cars that drove along them were a great deal less bulky, and traveled much faster.

But urban sprawl had also led to some less savory side-effects. The combination of smokestack-topped factories and the massive increase in Satomobiles on the road resulted in large clouds of smog that choked the skies. Crude drawings or writings stained the walls of many buildings. Ballooning bags of trash littered the sides of the streets.

And every few feet they traveled, she saw more of them, beneath bridges or in parks: tired, huddled masses, clothed in dirty rags and clinging to each other for warmth.

"I've seen people homeless in Republic City before," she whispered. "But they never…looked like this…"

"For one thing, their numbers have increased tremendously. Even during the Hundred Year War, there were never this many refugees," said Uncle sadly. "Nearly the entire Earth Kingdom have been displaced from their homes, long-since destroyed. And they are the lucky ones."

Korra passed by a young girl on the side of the road, who couldn't have been more than four or five. Her skin clung to her bony frame, and bruises covered her face.

The girl slowly looked up, and stared at Korra with the most haunting look she'd ever seen – eyes that were completely devoid of joy, or hope. She seemed as if she was trying to say something, but didn't have the strength.

"This…This isn't right," Korra spoke to the spirit, forcibly wrenching herself away from the pitiable girl. "I'm working to build a world where this kinda stuff doesn't happen. Where people can be free."

"Freedom is an essential part of life. But so too are change, substance, and power," Uncle explained. He too was looking back upon the girl, and her many destitute brethren, with incredible sadness. "Like the four elements, these four forces must be balanced within you. To pursue only one, as the absolute good, will inevitably result in tragedy."

"That may be how the other Avatars lived. But not me," Korra stated firmly. "I'm going to correct their mistakes. That is my purpose. I've been training for it all my life."

"Only one person can tell you your purpose, Avatar Korra," responded the old spirit. "And it isn't Zaheer."

Korra instantly rounded on him.

"And what would you know about Zaheer?" she demanded, vaguely aware that the street children were staring.

"Nothing. And everything," said Uncle. "You claim I am hiding something from you…and I won't insult you by denying it. But that is nothing compared to the secrets that man keeps."

Unbidden, Korra's mind flooded with Unalaq's revelation about her parents. With everything else her cousins had told her.

But just as quickly, she was vigorously shaking her head, trying to rid it of those intrusive thoughts. She didn't have time to properly process all of…of that right now.

"Let's just keep going," she spat, shoving her hands in her pockets and storming away.

[-]

They walked along the city streets for what felt like hours, though objectively Korra knew it couldn't have been nearly that long.

But with the midday sun beating down, and each towering building appearing indistinguishable from the next, the minutes seemed to bleed into one another. Trudging forward, panting and sweating, through a city that disgusted her to her very core.

It was difficult, sometimes, to put her finger on exactly what bothered her so much. Certainly, her company didn't help. "Uncle" was genial enough, but even from Zaheer – who dispensed it like candy – she'd never been a big fan of having sagely wisdom shoved down her throat.

But more so, there was a…feeling to Empire City. Something that just didn't feel right, deep in her bones.

Maybe it was the sheer contrast between those who were living quite well in these times of trouble, and those who most emphatically were not. The closer they drew to the epicenter of the city, the larger and more opulent the homes became. While there weren't any sprawling properties like the Sato estate – there simply wasn't room for such things – she was soon observing mansions grander than her entire apartment building.

It made for a stark contrast to the cramped, desolate slums they'd just left.

"There's never been a better time in our world's history to live…if you have wealth and connections," said Uncle, hanging his head as they passed an outdoor swimming pool with enough water to sustain a village. "The rest must scrape by with what they're able. It's an old tale that, I'm sorry to say…has only added new chapters in the years since."

He gestured to a very large building across the street. It appeared to be a retail store of some kind, but with a level of activity that exceeded most entire marketplaces. The characters above the entrance read "Keum-Mart."

"A wondrous place, in some ways. In my youth, we could've never imagined a single establishment offering such a wide breadth of goods," continued the spirit. "But those wonders come at a cost. Environmental destruction. Labor policies little better than slavery. And from it all, the seven surviving members of the Keum family have more wealth than the bottom half of the world, combined."

"Are you trying to make me want to level this city to the ground?" asked Korra dryly. "Because it's working."

"I have no agenda here, Korra. I want you to see this world, unvarnished, for all its good – and its ill," he answered, without looking at her. "So that you can make the right decision, when the time comes."

"That's another thing Zaheer taught me never to trust," she said. "People who claim to be totally neutral are usually anything but."

"A wise man," Uncle was forced to admit. "Misguided, perhaps. But undoubtedly wise."

Eventually, their trek took them to the very heart of Empire City, where the MIRAI headquarters towered over the streets below, casting them in an enormous shadow. Surrounding it were a number of official-looking buildings, all of them shining and gleaming with too-perfect sheen.

"Why are we here?" demanded Korra in a low voice. "I think if there's one thing I've seen enough of in this city, it's that place."

"MIRAI may be the true seat of power in this world. But it isn't the only one," the spirit told her.

His hand stretched out to indicate the largest and grandest of the buildings that stood at "street level" – an ornate, heavily secured fortress that could only be called a palace.

"I think it's time we see this 'Second Emperor' for ourselves."

[-]

Sneaking into a place surrounded by giant walls and crawling with guards turned out to be a lot simpler when one was a spirit.

Uncle, it transpired, seemed to have total control over whether or not his body was tangible. So entering the palace grounds was as simple as him snapping his fingers, becoming semi-transparent, and walking right through the outer wall.

Korra, not possessed of such abilities – and with even her waterbending unavailable to her, as this was technically still the Spirit World – had no choice but to climb over the old-fashioned way. It took a few tries, but eventually she was able to get a running start and scramble up the imposing stones.

There was a brief scare when she finally made it to the top, and found herself practically nose-to-nose with a guard. Thankfully, he was fast asleep.

"Man, you'd think someone raised by Kuvira would hire better security," she said under her breath, as she carefully climbed back down the other side. "Not that I'm complaining."

"One thing I've found, Korra, is that children so rarely inherit the qualities their parents might wish them to," mused Uncle, once she landed next to him. "He may possess the same drive for control as your friend…but not necessarily the competence to realize it."

"Kuvira isn't my friend," Korra replied, almost automatically.

This resulted in a bemused smile on the part of the spirit. "My mistake, then," he murmured. "Well, shall we get along?"

The pair crept through the palace grounds, which were vast, expansive, and almost entirely empty. Only a handful of guards patrolled this space, which was chock-full of countless ornate gardens, ponds, and statues (mostly depicting the Second Emperor, looking determinedly stern).

Korra couldn't help noticing that these grounds could've sheltered every single homeless person they'd encountered on their way, with room to spare.

Unfortunately, they ran into a roadblock once they reached the palace itself. The front doors, which were made of heavy steel, were sealed up tight. As they watched on, a guard approached the doors, took a stance, and caused them to part just wide enough for a man to pass through.

And as soon as he did, they shut right behind him.

"All of his guards must be metalbenders," said Korra. "How're we gonna get inside?"

Uncle looked around for a while, before his eyes fell upon something to their left, and he grinned.

"As an old friend of mine liked to say, Korra…" he answered calmly. "The straight path may be the shortest, but it is rarely the most effective."

[-]

Korra very much did not like this "non-straight path," effective as it might be.

Her spirit companion had observed that massive laundry carts were being hauled in and out of a side entrance, one of the metalbending guards opening and closing the doorway after each delivery.

With a distraction so simple it was almost insulting when it actually worked – Uncle picking up a small, hard piece of wood and tossing it in the opposite direction – they were able to leap into the nearest cart and bury themselves in the mountain of linen.

Unfortunately, that linen happened to be exclusively male undergarments.

"Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew eeeew…" Korra moaned, trying to adjust her position in such a way that none of the white cloth was touching her face. "Gotta say…not a fan of your planning skills."

Uncle chuckled. "My nephew never was either. You know, you remind me so much of him at the same age," he said, settling in far more comfortably than she in the sea of linen. "But that's a topic for another day. I don't think underwear is supposed to talk."

And so, silently, the pair of them waited, as the guard gave the cart a (thankfully cursory) examination and then waved it through, allowing it to pass through the metalbent opening in the otherwise impregnable fortress.

Korra felt the cart rumble forward for several more minutes, occasionally taking turns or traveling down inclines. Eventually, however, it was deposited in a dark room, the door squeaking shut a moment later.

After waiting a few beats to ensure the coast was clear, both of them leapt from the disgusting pile and into a dank, musty-smelling laundry room.

"Regardless of the nation, or the wealthiness of its owner…" Uncle observed. "All laundry rooms are in some ways alike."

"Never have I sooooo missed my waterbending," Korra muttered to herself, frenetically brushing off her skin and clothes.

"You should count yourself fortunate," said the spirit. "At least we didn't have to sneak into a cart going the other way."

The pair emerged from the room shortly after, allowing them to get a proper look at the palace's innards for the first time.

Contrary to its outward ostentation, these hallways were distinctly sparse and utilitarian. This "palace" clearly hadn't been built from the ground up as such, but instead must've been converted from some other purpose.

Apart from the occasional portrait of the Second Emperor – which, like the statues out front, all seemed to depict him with a decidedly sour disposition – there was little to no decoration lining the smooth, silvery walls. No plants or hanging ornaments or even furniture, beyond the occasional functional table.

The other thing that was immediately obvious about this place was that it'd been designed for a metalbender's use alone. Every single surface was gleaming, stainless metal, from the ceilings down to the floors, and so sneaking around was made rather difficult by the echoing clang that accompanied every footstep.

Except, upon second examination…the metal surfaces had only been plastered on, over existing foundations that were more likely wood or stone. Here, down in the basement levels, there were enough literal cracks in the façade to see this clearly.

"A man's home is often a potent demonstration of his inner character," spoke Uncle coolly, as they passed by a wall where something that might've been mold was poking through. "A veneer of stability and perfection…awkwardly trying to pave over an inner rot."

Korra said nothing in response, her eyes narrowing as they ascended a set of needlessly chrome-plated stairs.

Now that they were exiting the subbasement where they stashed laundry, plumbing, and whatever else was too "dirty" to be seen by the Second Emperor's own eyes, the number of guards had significantly increased. They'd only needed to avoid one so far, but now there were at least half a dozen patrolling within Korra's line of sight.

Luckily, none of them noticed one of the side doors quietly opening, nor the two hunched figures who crept out of it. Plus, everyone's footsteps echoed in here, so their own wouldn't give them away so long as they timed things right.

At least…that's what she'd expected to happen. As soon as they took the first step into the antechamber, a stupendously loud siren began buzzing throughout the building.

"Blasted badger-moles…" one of the guards swore loudly. "What's it this time?!"

"Probably just another oversized elephant-rat," said another. "I swear, they make those motion sensors way too damn sensitive."

"Still, I'll go check it out. Beats staring at the same wall for the past six hours," replied a third, her voice rough and scratchy. "Cover my back, Teru."

At the sheer volume the alarm was blaring, there no longer seemed any point in proceeding cautiously. So instead, the Avatar and the spirit took off like a flash, darting between and around pillars to try and evade the guards' line of sight.

"I definitely saw somethin' just now!" the first guard drawled. "And it ain't no elephant-rat I ever seen!"

"Great. Just great," Korra groused under her breath. "I don't even know what we're doing here. But there's no way we're making it to Kuvira Jr. at this rate."

That was when she heard something that caused her heart to jump out of simultaneous excitement and dread.

"What is this spiritforsaken racket?" demanded the cold, ragged voice of Saahasik Beifong.

[-]

Korra and Uncle very quickly ensconced themselves behind the nearest pillar, watching the scene unfold from a distance.

Since he was no longer seated behind a screen, the Second Emperor's disability was a lot more obvious. He moved about in something that resembled a wheelchair, albeit far more advanced than any Korra had seen in her own time, and the reason was clear as soon as she looked downward.

From the upper thighs down, his legs were simply gone, replaced with metal prosthetics that likewise outpaced any similar technology of the past. Each knee was emblazoned with a variant of the United Republic emblem, though modified to be sharper and more angular.

Of course, his limited mobility did little to impede the stern-faced metalbender. He reached out his left hand and made a squeezing motion with all five fingers.

The nearest guard, a portly man with a bushy mustache, rose into the air, grasping desperately at the collar of his armor. On second glance, it was clear the metal was constricting.

"Here I am, embarking on a mission to bring the last remnants of this wretched, chaotic world under heel. And yet I continue to be surrounded by incompetence," he said, without releasing his bending grip one iota. "Do you realize this was the first opportunity I've had to sleep in three days?"

"Apologies, Your Excellency. But the sensitivity of our sensors was set to your precise specifications," answered another guard, who was either very brave or very stupid. "You wanted to ensure that no one could possibly infiltrate your…"

She was cut off by a dismissive wave of Saahasik's other hand. That was enough to lift her by her breastplate and send her flying into the wall.

"Well then. If there's a possibility of an intruder, then what in the world are you all still doing here?" he snapped, finally allowing the first guard to fall unceremoniously. "Fan out, and search every corner. And turn that blasted noise off!"

His verdant eyes narrowed, before adding in rougher tones, "Or do you all require some additional education to do your jobs properly?"

"No, Your Excellency!" all the guards shouted at once, hopping to attention and bowing their heads in deference.

It was clear from their expressions that the mere mention of "education" had them utterly terrified.

Before the guards could take more than a few steps in any direction, however, the Second Emperor held up his hand again.

"Wait," he ordered, before stretching out one, bony finger. "There."

Korra's blood chilled as she realized he was pointing straight at them.

She had barely a second to react before the pillar they were hiding behind split cleanly in two. The break in the metallic column went straight down the middle, leaving the pieces with perfect mirrored symmetry, which Saahasik carefully parted with gestures from both hands.

"Human blood contains traces of iron, copper, and various other metals," he said. "Not nearly in sufficient quantities for it to be bent, the way my waterbending compatriots can. But enough that I can sense when a nasty little spider-fly is hiding from me."

Both of them resembled a cat-deer in headlights, but Uncle recovered first. He held up both hands placatingly and began, "Your most esteemed Excellency. Let's not do anything too hasty. Why don't we all sit down for a calming cup of jasmine tea? If you could just point me in the direction of your kitchen…"

Not particularly surprising Korra, the Second Emperor responded to this by shaving off a small pellet of metal from the pillar, and sending it flying straight at the spirit's head.

It was the same trick Gikuro had used to assassinate Doctor Moon, and would've likely had the same result had Uncle not instinctively flinched and become intangible.

The guards all raised their weapons in alarm at this move, but Saahasik merely adopted an expression of bemusement.

"A spirit. How curious," he declared, folding his fingers together. "And who would your compatriot be, then?"

"Ah, but are we not all spirits, in a sense? Some may simply be more aware of it than others," said Uncle, who likewise appeared remarkably nonplussed. Korra wasn't sure whether he was speaking metaphorically or literally, given the nature of this world. "Now, as for the lovely young woman you see before you…"

And suddenly, the spirit was grinning ear to ear, and speaking as casually as if discussing the weather.

"Why, she's a piece of the Cataclysm, of course."

If the guards had jumped when they realized Uncle was a spirit, then they practically reached the upper atmosphere at this revelation.

Saahasik, on the other hand, remained perfectly still, observing the pair carefully. Then, after a lengthy period of silence, he commanded, "Leave us."

Only one of the guards was foolish enough to protest, but he barely managed to get out a strained, "But, Your Excellency…!" before he was slammed to the ground by the force of his own armor.

The rest hastened to obey after that, disappearing from the antechamber within seconds. A moment later, the mind-numbing alarm finally ceased.

As soon as it did, Saahasik quite literally wheeled on the pair, his expression unreadable.

All he said however was, "They may not have fully understood the implications, but I do. Welcome to my Empire, Avatar Korra."

[-]

The Second Emperor didn't speak again until he led them to an external veranda, which stretched across the palace's full length.

From here, nearly the entirety of Empire City could be seen.

"Mother built the United Empire in your memory. You affected her more deeply than I think you realize," he explained, gesturing out over the vast expanse of towers and steel. "She and Asami Sato both. They were partners in building a future that would be stronger than the blighted past."

"I've got so many questions. I'm not sure I even know where to begin," she said, with a lingering glance toward Uncle, who was rather pointedly hanging back.

Though this man – a despotic tyrant by any definition – was the very antithesis of the Red Lotus' philosophy, she was almost grateful to be talking to someone who, at last, seemed prepared to offer her real answers.

"I expect you do. Gikuro always theorized there might be a way to extract you from the Cataclysm, but your mental state afterward was a complete unknown," responded Saahasik. "Still, this is a day to celebrate. Now the world has two Avatars to protect it – and one who isn't a miserable failure."

"Hey! Don't say that about Iraki!" Korra protested, surprising herself with her own vehemence. She'd really become remarkably protective of her reincarnation in just the past few hours.

"It's the way the entire world sees him. And for good reason," he told her shortly. Korra got the distinct sense the misgendering was intentional. "But enough about that wretch. You've returned to us, Avatar Korra. You may be the most hated Avatar in recorded history, but I for one won't be looking this gift ostrich-horse in the mouth."

"Most hated?" repeated Korra, frowning deeply.

"Well, you did bring an end to the world, after all. Or at least a part of you did," said Saahasik. "Do you truly not remember? How the Cataclysm first began?"

Korra slowly shook her head. Still, she looked toward the Second Emperor as he whirred along in his wheelchair, hopeful that she was about to learn the truth at last.

Those hopes, unfortunately, were dashed a moment later as Saahasik gave a dismissive wave and added, "Well then, consult a history professor. I'm not here to be your nursery school teacher, little girl. I'm here to discuss what you can do for me."

A flash of red overtook Korra's field of vision, her blood boiling over being denied answers yet again. But before she could begin shouting at the crippled man, Uncle cut in.

"And what might that be, Your Excellency?" he asked, in tones of deliberate, emphatic calm.

"Well, to be most accurate, I suppose you already have," stated Saahasik, with a chuckle that didn't sound in any way humorous. "Sure, I may have lost a good deal of my own forces. But the Cataclysm sweeping through to finish the job, after my first strike? Things couldn't have gone better if I'd planned them."

He paused for a moment to bask in the midday sun, clenching his fist in triumph. Every piece of metal on the terrace vibrated in response.

"Ba Sing Se and Zaofu are no more," he continued, with no apparent sympathy for the thousands of lives lost in the process. "The foolish, misguided causes they represented? Scattered to the four winds. The United Empire is now the sole remaining power in the world. As it should be."

Korra's mouth went agape in horror. So everything she'd seen through Iraki's eyes truly had come to pass.

The gleaming, too-perfect metropolis below…

Was now the last of its kind on the planet.

And this man, this monster, was pleased with it.

"But there's still work to be done. Best as my Varri-Drones were able to pick up, both Pula and Kunyomi may well have escaped their respective sanctuaries' destruction. No doubt with contingents of loyal followers," said Saahasik. "I cannot allow those weasel-snakes to set up new nests. For the world to move forward at last…the last dregs of the old one must end."

"And…you're asking me to do that," Korra muttered slowly, finally beginning to catch on. "If you truly know so much about me, why do you think I'd ever agree to that?"

"Oh, I'm certain you wouldn't, Avatar of the Red," replied the Second Emperor, placing an odd emphasis on the last four words. As if they were some kind of title. "But that is easily rectified."

With a wave of his hand, the metal floor beneath Korra and Uncle suddenly opened up.

Sending both tumbling into the darkness below.

[-]

The United Empire is the source of all peace and harmony in the world.

"The United Empire is the source of all peace and harmony in the world."

You will serve the United Empire until the end of my days.

"I will serve the United Empire until the end of my days."

Obeying the Second Emperor is your highest purpose.

"Obeying the Second Emperor is my highest purpose."

Balance through strength.

"Balance through strength."

These were the first things Korra heard when she regained her bearings. The first voice, a pleasant and melodious female one, playing on a loop from some hidden speakers.

And many dozens of others, repeating every word in perfect unison as if there was nothing more important in the world.

It was very dark in this chamber, nearly as much as in the laundry room, but Korra could just barely make out rows and rows of people seated in strange chairs. They seemed to be composed of every age, gender, and national origin imaginable, but all had a few things in common…

Metallic helmets fastened tightly across their heads, and restraints preventing them from escaping their seats.

Not that any of them seemed to be struggling to do so. They just sat there, their eyes dull and unfocused, mindlessly repeating the same four phrases.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Saahasik, slowly descending from above to meet her. Based on the movements of his arms, he appeared to be flying his wheelchair through the air via metalbending, which suggested a level of fine control that was frankly terrifying. "All of them becoming perfect, loyal cogs in my machine. No room for the shadows of doubt and sin that once plagued their wicked hearts. Only my blessed, purifying light."

"This is sick," Korra spat. "You're brainwashing them! Your own citizens!"

"Mother was offered this power too, you know. Doctor Sheng came to her when she first took the throne, and showed her the technology necessary to pacify the unruly masses. Masses in need of her steadfast guidance," said the Second Emperor, ignoring her outburst. "But as much as I admire and respect her…Mother always was too soft. She cast Sheng out, wanting no part of it."

Korra remembered the name "Sheng;" Doctor Moon had disparaged her in no certain terms. And she realized this must've been what Pula had been referring to when she spoke about "what he did to the Blue Jackets," whoever those were.

"Of course, I have no such qualms. By the time of my ascension, Sheng had passed away…but fortunately, she had a daughter, and she taught her everything she knew," Saahasik went on. "That's her voice on the recording, incidentally. She insisted she be allowed to do the honors. As I insist I be allowed this one."

The Second Emperor waved both hands, and the metallic restraints from one of the few empty chairs suddenly sprang forward, locking shut around Korra's wrists and ankles. The helmet followed right after.

"H…Hey!" she sputtered, trying and failing to wriggle out of the cuffs. "What do you think you're doing…!"

"Despite his uselessness, Gikuro never allowed me the chance to 'reeducate' the Avatar. Seemed to think I might take the opportunity to betray and cast her aside," said Saahasik. "Though in her defense, that's precisely what I'm about to do."

Korra's struggling spiked in intensity, but there was little she could do to fight against the Second Emperor's metalbending grip. Step by step, she was being forced backward, into the waiting chair.

"You'll be my secret owl-cat's paw, Avatar Korra," he continued to sneer. "You'll hunt down Kunyomi and Pula, and bring a final end to their flames of rebellion. And then…you'll storm MIRAI tower, and drag Gikuro, her son, and the rest of the HOTU pilots right back to this room. When we're done, they won't even be able to conceive of disloyalty. The United Empire will reign supreme, over all that was or that ever shall be. Balance through strength!"

"Balance through strength!" shouted his brainwashed followers, the words so firmly ingrained they were practically a single voice.

"I think I've seen enough to say you know nothing of either word," came an aged voice, and for the first time since meeting him, Korra was suddenly very happy to hear Uncle.

It was difficult to see in the darkness, especially with the helmet half-obscuring her eyes, but it looked like the guards watching over the brainwashed prisoners were being summarily dealt with.

Despite his stoutness and girth, the once-human spirit moved like a leaping rabbaroo, weaving and bobbing between each sentry as they tried to strike him with more shaven clips of metal. But even their fastest bending couldn't keep up with Uncle, who took each one down with fierce, targeted jabs at pressure points.

"Happy I decided to learn chi-blocking before I kicked the bucket!" he said, as he took down two burly guards at once without even glancing at them. "When you're stuck as a spirit with no bending, it can certainly come in handy!"

"Stop him, you fools! He's just the Avatar's guardian spirit!" Saahasik hissed, before being forced to maneuver his wheelchair to the side, dodging a guard Uncle had thrown bodily over his shoulder. "Argh…I suppose if you want something done right…!"

And with that, the Second Emperor released his mental hold on the chains binding Korra, and turned his full attentions to the spirit wreaking havoc on his "reeducation" chamber.

Which, it seemed, was just what Uncle had been waiting for.

"I'm very disappointed, Your Excellency," he declared with the lightest lilt of mockery, now effortlessly dodging a veritable storm of metal objects that Saahasik sent flying his way. "You think going to these horrific extremes makes you strong. But it only shows how weak you truly are. The truly strong don't need tricks or gadgets to impose their wills on others – but rather, have wills powerful enough that others choose to join them."

"Silence!" roared the metalbender, his temple pulsing. "You know nothing of me!"

This was accompanied by an even more frantic wave of metal pellets, which Uncle dodged yet again, if anything even more easily.

"You're getting sloppy. Emotion can be useful, as a focal tool…but too much will invariably ruin your technique," said Uncle, as if he was instructing a child in their first bending lesson. "And it can cause you to miss things you really should've caught. Case in point…"

With a flourish, Uncle pulled back the sleeve of his cloak, releasing the diminutive reptile-bird he'd shown Korra in the tea shop. But she was undergoing a rather startling change.

Before Korra's eyes, the creature ballooned in size, growing from a lump of scales and feathers small enough to fit in Uncle's palm to an enormous beast, taking up more than half the room. Her golden hide and flamelike plumage lit up the darkness, like a singular beacon of warmth.

The dragon-phoenix pointed her beak to the ceiling, and let loose a screech of such incredible power that it brought most of the remaining guards to their knees. Those few who were left charged fiercely at the creature, only to be swatted aside by her twin tails like they were ant-flies.

In another flash, the beast was standing before Korra, towering so tall that she had to stoop her serpent-like neck just to fit. She looked down upon the Avatar, trapped in the iron grip of Saahasik's brainwashing equipment.

Then, without further ado, she opened her beak, allowing a stream of soft golden light to wash over Korra's body. The helmet and manacles simply melted off her skin, like ice cubes on a hot summer's day.

All this had happened so quickly that Saahasik Beifong had no recourse but to sit there, dumbfounded, as his carefully laden plans fell apart around him. As Korra flexed and stretched her newly free muscles, his prematurely lined face contorted in utter fury.

"You will not take this chance away from me. I've worked too long and too hard, Avatar!" he hissed. "So as I said…if you want something done right…"

The Second Emperor's arms spread out again, in the same pose he'd used when directing his wheelchair through the air. But this time, the only object he levitated into the air was…himself.

Or rather, his legs.

For even though the prosthetics didn't look capable of fully autonomous movement, it seemed his metalbending was more than able to compensate. Not only that, but the mechanical limbs were now blinking and whirring with activity, as they actually seemed to be expanding.

"I think this is our cue to make like a camellia shrub, and get out of here," said Uncle, watching in alarm as the metal plates spread upward, encasing Saahasik's torso and arms.

The spirit leapt atop the dragon-phoenix's back, and offered a hand for Korra to join him. Seeing no other choice, the Avatar grasped onto Uncle's aged but surprisingly strong fingers and allowed herself to be hoisted up behind him.

Just as she did, a helmet formed from the shifting metal and enclosed the Second Emperor's face, enveloping him head-to-toe in heavy armor. He looked almost exactly like a miniature version of the HOTU, though his suit was painted a deep, foreboding black.

"Come on, girl!" Uncle called out, tapping at the dragon-phoenix's neck gently but urgently. The beast wasted no time, flapping her enormous wings and filling the entire chamber with golden-hued gusts.

The force of each flap was enough to send the few guards who'd managed to recover from Uncle's assault flying anew, and to blast away the restraints holding the remaining prisoners – somehow, without harming their bodies at all.

Unfortunately, this did nothing to affect the shackles encasing their minds. Each and every one remained seated, staring blankly forward.

The golden wind also didn't do much to impede the armored Saahasik, who was storming slowly but steadily forward. Blades unfurled from a compartment on his back, until he seemed to be backed by a dark halo of swords.

Uncle patted the dragon-phoenix again, and with a rush of movement she took flight, blasting the ceiling with a flurry of golden, glowing flame. Light streamed down from above through the resulting hole, which the dragon-phoenix shot toward like a rocket.

Despite the overwhelming wave of nausea this elicited in the young Avatar, Korra felt an equally strong surge of victory at the prospect of escaping this horrific place, and turned back to rub this fact in the Second Emperor's face.

Only to find that his pursuit hadn't been slowed one iota by their taking to the sky. Impossibly, he seemed to be flying through the air, his bending control over his armor so fine that he moved like an airbender.

"Okay speed up, speed up, speed up…" she exhorted the dragon-bird hurriedly, rapping her knuckles against the beast's feathered scales like it was a drum.

She could've sworn that their mount gave her side-eye in response to this treatment, but regardless she obeyed the command. They shot through the hole in the ceiling like water rushing from a spout, and only continued to accelerate as they climbed higher and higher.

Saahasik seemed to be shouting something at them, his floating array of blades trailing behind him, but they were already too far away to hear. No matter how strong his bending was, he couldn't compete with the dragon-phoenix's sheer speed.

Still, they didn't take any chances, not slowing down for even a second until they were far, far beyond Empire City's limits.

[-]

"Well that was a total disaster," said Korra dryly, as they watched the glowing bubble of light energy that protected Empire City disappear into the horizon.

They were passing over the Mo Ce Sea now, watching the waves crash and cascade below. The waters were as choked full of Dark Spirits as the land was, rendering any kind of passage by boat virtually impossible.

"In my defense, I figured that man was crazy…but not that crazy," Uncle replied, as both of them watching an enormous, whale-like spirit breach the surface of the ocean. It was large enough to swallow an entire battleship in one gulp, and then some. "I'm sorry for putting you in that position, Korra."

As upset as she was, the obvious sincerity in the apology deflated her scathing retort before she could utter it.

Instead, all that came out was, "What would've happened? If he succeeded in…in brainwashing me?"

"Well, he couldn't have in the first place, if that comforts you at all. You don't have a physical 'brain' here to affect," answered the elderly spirit. "This plane is a construct of your mind, and Raava's energy, interacting with the Spirit World. Most likely, his attempt would've forced your corporeal body to awaken, and this vision to end."

"I can think of worse things," she murmured bitingly, her eyes turning askance.

"Keep in mind, however, that it's not only your soul that's been dragged here. You weren't alone in the spiritual circuit when the Avatar State…malfunctioned. For lack of a better term," said Uncle. "If this world collapses prematurely, the psychic backlash could be dire. Even dormant, Raava's spirit will likely protect yours. But the others…may not be so fortunate."

Korra nodded mutedly; in all the chaos of this horrific future, she'd briefly forgotten.

"Iraki said…that both Asami and Amon were trapped in here too," she told him. "I don't give a flying monkey-feather about him. But I won't let Asami suffer for my sake."

A brief image of Asami getting speared through the chest by Tokuga flashed through her mind, and she fought back hot tears. "Any more than…than she already has…" added the Avatar, in a choked voice.

"I don't know the full details of what's occurring right now on the physical plane. The past may only guide, not dictate, the present," Uncle spoke. "But you may not be too late to avert the tragedy written across your face."

Korra wasn't really sure what that meant, and she intentionally decided not to ask. The more she thought about those last few, awful moments before the power of the Avatar State finally erupted forth…

Well, the less likely she'd be able to avoid shutting down completely.

"So…if these visions only end when I find both of them…" she said, changing tack. "How exactly am I supposed to do that?"

"It's a good question, Korra. I very much wish I had a better answer for it," responded Uncle in a low voice. "Since they lack the anchor the Avatar Spirit provides, they're likely to be quite thoroughly lost in this world. Instinctually, it's possible they might gravitate toward places strongly connected to their souls. That was part of the reason I tried to explore as much of the city as possible."

"Asami's lived all her life in that city. No matter how much it's changed, it's still her home," Korra remarked, seeing his logic in spite of herself. "But if she wasn't anywhere in MIRAI, the organization she founded, then where…?"

"I'd hoped we could sweet talk the Second Emperor into pointing us toward a few more leads. But obviously that didn't work out," explained the spirit. "There must be something deeper going on. As much as neither of you care for each other…perhaps by locating Amon, a new path forward will open."

"Well it's not too hard to figure out where he would've been drawn. In this time, his followers control the largest city in the world," said Korra. "Well…they did, anyway. No way that bastard survived Ba Sing Se getting razed to the ground."

But Uncle slowly shook his head. "Remember, you all entered this realm together. All three of your spirits are linked," he declared sagely. "If he had perished, you would've felt the shockwaves to your core. That your mind and soul are intact…proves both Amon and Miss Sato are alive and well."

"Then…I guess that leaves us no choice," the Avatar sighed. "We fly to Ba Sing Se. Or what's left of it."

[-]

The dragon-phoenix made remarkably good time, reaching the Serpent's Pass in what seemed like no time at all.

They had to fly carefully, because it wasn't merely the land and the sea that were infested with Dark Spirits. The skies, too, were full of creatures large and small, hideous mutations of earthly beasts whose eyes seemed perpetually ravenous.

But their mount, thankfully, could outfly any of them, darting through the clouds at speeds far exceeding any commercial airship. While a handful of spirits noticed them as they passed, most quickly lost interest in favor of slower, easier prey.

"Most" being the operative term.

"I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you so much…!" growled Korra as she held onto the dragon-phoenix for dear life, trying to avoid being thrown off as it weaved and bobbed around bursts of flame.

The Dark Spirit chasing them roughly resembled, in shape and form, a titanic hippo-cow, except that it also had wings the size of houses.

And, as mentioned previously, breathed fire.

"I really don't have a defense for this one," said Uncle, whose normally unflappable demeanor had likewise devolved into visible alarm. "The Spirit World can get weird sometimes."

They'd been trying to shake their pursuer for countless miles now, to little success. Contrary to the largely sedentary animal it resembled, this Dark Spirit seemed to be a super-persistent predator, gnashing at them with jaws large enough to cleave MIRAI tower in two.

Meanwhile, they were crossing over the waters to the west of the Serpent's Pass at breakneck speed, shooting toward the Earth Kingdom capital. From this distance, its supposedly impenetrable walls should already be looming.

But of course, that was no longer the case.

Perhaps the first sign they should've turned back was that the hippo-cow spirit suddenly stopped following them. As soon as they made landfall, the Dark Spirit veered off in the opposite direction – as if, even in its madness, it sensed the aura surrounding this land.

And wanted nothing to do with it.

Korra could feel that same aura – a dim, but pervasive sense of foreboding – but she didn't let it hinder her. They made their way to the ruins of Ba Sing Se, not stopping until they were practically on top of them.

The visions Iraki had shown her…hadn't done justice to the sheer carnage. Until she was seeing, hearing, smelling the devastation for herself, it hadn't truly hit her.

The oldest surviving city in the world, the crown jewel of the Earth Kingdom's wealth and culture, was gone. Its once-grand buildings, monuments, and railways lay strewn for miles and miles without end, like so much rubble.

And coating every last ruined stone or spire…

Was the distinctive, fading crimson of dried blood.

"Kinda what they deserve, when you think about it. Given who controlled the city in the end," said Korra bitterly. "No rings or walls to divide the rich and poor. Look at them now…all equal."

"You don't mean that," whispered Uncle.

The Avatar bowed her head, letting out a deep, rattling breath.

"No. I don't," she admitted, in a very low voice. "I can't let this be the future. I can't."

"You still have time for it not to be. That's why I'm here," spoke the elderly spirit. "All this destruction can be prevented. You need but choose a new path."

"That's a lot harder than you make it sound," spat Korra, glaring at him sharply. "Anyway, what're we supposed to find here? It's obvious there were no survivors. And even if there were…they wouldn't have stayed in a place like this. They would've moved on, tried to find shelter."

"Are you so certain?" Uncle asked.

He was pointing over the side of their shared mount, toward a spot straight below.

Korra strained her eyes, until she realized there was something moving down there. Without being bid, the dragon-phoenix fell into a steady dive, drawing them closer.

It was all the more impressive Uncle had spotted the figure from so high up, because it appeared to only be a single person, shuffling through the ruins of what might've once been a bathhouse. They were cloaked in dark, subdued material, so that it was difficult to make them out as anything more than an indistinct blur.

Of course, given that they were the only other living souls in any direction, it didn't take long for the cloaked figure to notice the enormous, glowing spirit descending upon them. They froze in place, just for a second…

And then began sprinting full-bore in the opposite direction.

Perhaps it was lingering resentment from having felt so helpless during the palace infiltration, or general restlessness at being given the runaround by seemingly everyone in this screwed up future. Either way, without consciously deciding to, Korra found herself leaping from the dragon-phoenix's back, careening straight for her quarry.

The figure managed to dive out of the way just in time, but fumbled their landing, tripping over a jagged segment of rubble. Silently, they turned toward Korra.

"Amon!" she called out, seething with hatred at the all-too-familiar mask.

But as they rose to their feet, she realized that this person couldn't be Amon. They wore a black bodysuit beneath the muddy-gray cloak, and it hugged their figure quite snugly.

Making it rather obvious she possessed at least two assets Amon definitely didn't.

"Huh…Kunyomi, then. I think that was your name," Korra quickly added. She was dressed a bit more shabbily than the Equalist leader from Iraki's visions, but who else could it possibly be? "Guess you survived your precious fortress coming down on your head. Well, good! Maybe you're the one who can finally answer my questions!"

The masked woman watched her silently for several seconds. Then, she turned around, and tore off once more.

"Oh no you don't!" said Korra loudly, giving chase. She might not have had her bending in this world, but she'd still been training nearly all her life – and as a result, there were few others of her age or stature who could match her in sheer physical fitness.

As a result, she caught up to her quarry without much effort, tackling her around the midsection and forcing her to the ground. The mask flew off, landing in the wreckage of a collapsed street market.

The woman turned over groggily, her long black hair falling away from her face. Korra let out a gasp.

Because it wasn't Amon. And though she'd never actually seen Kunyomi's true face, she was fairly certain it wasn't her, either.

It was Asami.