Despite everything, Korra doubted that Tarrlok had meant to seriously injure her. He had defeated her, yes. He had bloodbent her and locked her in a cage like an animal, but she didn't believe he actually wanted to cause her any permanent harm.

It wasn't until Amon came that the torture started. He knew her. He knew how clever she was, but she hadn't even imagined how truly powerful he was.

"Get the Avatar." She had heard him say. "Don't underestimate her; electrocute the box before opening it." Her heart racing, Korra knew she had to get off the ground of the cage. She took off one of her armbands and looped it around one of the top bars of the cage, but something stopped her from holding on. She recognized the bloodbending immediately. Her body crashed heavily against the side of the cage. She tried to pull away, but she couldn't break the grip, every vein in her body protested her will. This was not Tarrlok's bending; it was much more powerful and much more painful. It felt as if her veins were on fire. Blood roared in her ears. She couldn't move, she couldn't scream, she couldn't even cry. Then she heard the crackles of the Equilists' electric probes. There was nothing she could do to stop herself from being electrocuted, she couldn't even brace herself. White hot pain consumed her body, burning her skin and turning her muscles to pudding. She was finally able to scream, but that did nothing to lessen the pain. She didn't know when she fell unconscious, but she felt her body crash to the floor before everything went dark.

When she came to, Korra was surprised to find herself in the same room as she had been in before, only now instead of being locked in a cage, her arms and legs were weighed down by heavy steal shackles that were connected to the walls of the room.

"I thought about bringing you back to the city and equalizing you in front of your friends," a cold, calculating voice said from the corner, she turned to see Amon emerge from the shadows, two chi-blockers flanking him, "but then I thought, 'why give them a tragic hero?' There are even some non-benders who worship the Avatar, why should I make them upset with me, when Tarrlok so conveniently set everything up for me to blame him."

Anger and hatred boiled up in Korra, too groggy and disorientated to respond, she spat at Amon. One of the chi-blockers made an angry noise and punched Korra hard in the stomach. Pain welled where his fist impacted and Korra fought to stop from vomiting. Amon put his hand up as if bored, "That's enough, Soo-lin." He sneered, his voice was so calm, so cold that it sent shivers down Korra's spine, but she didn't let her fear show. "If they don't teach manners at the South Pole, the Avatar will just have to learn them here instead."

"I'll show you manners!" Korra snarled, she was fighting against the chains. She wanted to fight him, but she couldn't, frustrated she blew fire out of her mouth. He stepped aside casually.

"It seems that you are more eager than I thought to be equalized." Amon said. In a flash he was behind her. He roughly braced her shoulder with one hand and jammed his other down hard on her forehead, she tried to get away, but again her body froze up. It was the same sensation as bloodbending, only much more painful. She felt him ripping the elements from her body, but they didn't want to go. It felt like he was ripping out her veins themselves. Pain enveloped every inch of her. It felt as if her bones were splintering up her spine, until finally the pain concentrated on her forehead. There was a shock, not unlike electricity, that seemed to burn her forehead and finally Amon let go of her. She fell forward, the chains nearly pulling her arms out of their sockets as they caught her limp form before she crashed to the ground.

"You are nothing now, Avatar." Amon cold voice told her as she struggled to look up at him. "Nothing."

A blunt force struck Korra in the head, and once again she was unconscious.

The following weeks were torturous. She knew Amon planned to let her die in this hut and blame it on Tarrlok. That would turn the benders on themselves and plunge Republic City further into war. Simply dying was bad enough, but quite a few of the chi-blockers had a sick sense of humor. They would make a sport out of abusing the helpless girl. She lost count of how many times she had been electrocuted, punched, kicked, cut, bitten, or spit on. Some men even forced themselves on her while others stood around and laughed. Her pleas for help only seemed to egg them on. One man took a knife and slashed a large X in Korra's abdomen, but before she could bleed to death, which would have been merciful at that point, he used an electric glove to cauterize the veins. Another man made a bet he could break her leg with one swing of a lead pipe. Whether he managed to actually break the bone is unclear, but he certainly dislocated her hip.

"Not so powerful now, are you, Avatar?" they mocked as they beat her down into something she didn't even recognize. Finally, right when Korra thought there was no hope left, Amon called all the Equilists to a rally.

"What about the girl?" One had asked.

"Leave her," said another, "It's not like she's strong enough to escape."

It was true. Korra wasn't strong enough to truly escape, not back to the city. But if she could get out of this cabin, maybe she could make it far enough into the forest to freeze to death. Right now, hypothermia seemed like a pretty okay way to go. As soon as the equilists were gone, Korra started pulling her hands from the shackles. Though they had once been tight, they now hung loosely off her emaciated wrists. She pulled her hand through, though they didn't quite fit, and she ended up losing a few layers of her skin. But after the torture she endured the past few weeks, this was nothing. Her legs were harder, not only did she have to find a way to get her heel from the restraint, but she had to do it while her hip and leg were severely injured. Finally she managed to free herself, though she was bleeding heavily from her wrists and feet. She couldn't run, she could barely walk. Simply getting up the stairs was nearly an impossible task. When she made it out the door, she had to drag herself through the snow. She reached the crest of the mountain. She had no energy left now. She was weak and starving, battered and broken. She started tumbling down the slope, and there was nothing she could do to stop herself. Her body seemed to hit every rock and every stump. Finally she hit her head so violently against a tree that she lost consciousness.

She didn't die, however. When she came around something warm and soft was pressed up against her. Naga had found her. The polar bear dog was now pressed against Korra, refusing to let her freeze to death.

"Naga..." Korra whispered her voice hoarse.

Naga whined. Korra was too weak to climb onto her back. She tried, but she couldn't even stand up now. Naga nosed Korra encouragingly, but the broken girl couldn't move. Naga whined. Korra had given up, she had come out here to die, and that's all she had the strength left to do. But her best friend wouldn't accept that. Naga laid down next to the avatar and with her mouth pulled Korra's arm over her back. With Naga's prompting, Korra was able to use her good leg to boost herself up. She was only halfway on Naga's wide back, slung over the dog's shoulders like a sack of flour, but that was enough for Naga to carry her back to the city.

A/N I'd like to thank my beta, dares to dream. :D You're awesome

Okay, I know I have another story not finished on this site, but don't worry, Wilting Roses is all written and just waiting for my beta on that story to get back to me, so calm down, it will be posted soon

I hope you like this story, please R&R