The Longing ⇝ BOOK 1 > LOK [Avatar: TLAB-LoK Watty Awards 2018]

20

Lyra (1)

My father and I flew down on his glider to Tarrlok and some of his men. Korra was standing on a speed boat, getting ready to head out.

"Korra, this is madness." My father said. "Don't try to stop me and don't follow me!" Korra said. "I have to face Amon alone."

"No you don't Korra." I shook my head. I sat down on the dock so I was a little more her height. "You don't need to face him at all."

"Yes. I do." She responded. I sighed, "It's okay to ask for help. How do you know he's not going to bring any chi blockers or something?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Korra, please." I pleaded. "I'm sorry, Lyra." Her apology wasn't sincere. It was pitiful.

"This is all your doing!" My father yelled at Tarrlok. "I tried to talk her out of it too, but she's made up her mind." Tarrlok said. With the water, Korra bent herself toward Aang Memorial Island.

"We'll be watching the island closely. If anything goes wrong, I have a fleet of police airships ready to swoop down." Tarrlok said.

I stood up from my spot on the dock and looked up to Tarrlok who carried a somewhat smug smile. I pointed my finger at him, "Get rid of that smile before I do it for you."

"I see your father wasn't very stern about mannerism." He kept his smug smile. "Because that is no way to talk to your elders, let alone a councilman."

I clenched my fists. "Oh, he's thought me plenty."

"Lyra." My father warned.

I crossed my arms and looked away from Tarrlok. "I told you to not give her any trouble." I gritted. When I felt his hot breath on my neck, chills went down my spine. "And I told you I was a very persuasive man." He whispered.

When the clock struck twelve, I jumped, making Tarrlok move away from me. Instinctively, I scooted closer to my father and wrapped my arm around his. He looked down at me in confusion. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Just... nervous." I responded, trying not to turn my head and make eye contact with Tarrlok. My father wearingly smiled, "You haven't done this since you were young." He placed his hand atop of mine and we watched the island.

I swear to the spirits I felt Tarrlok smirking down at me. That man really makes me uncomfortable.

After about an hour or so of waiting for an ambush from Amon, there was finally a sign of one. "Did you see that?" I asked my father while pointing to the island. "See what?" He followed to where I was pointing.

"I could've sworn I saw a light." I said.

"There are lights all around the island." Tarrlok said as if it was obvious. I rolled my eyes, "It came from a fire. She fire bended."

"Probably to use a flashlight." Tarrlok shrugged. "I thought there were lights all around the island." I said in a stern tone.

"You were the only one that saw-"

"Look! There it is again!" I pointed. "And again!"

My father looked over his shoulder at Tarrlok with a straight face. "Something isn't right, Tarrlok."

"I haven't gotten a call from my fleet. That means they haven't seen anything out of the ordinary."

I widened my eyes, "That's because Amon knows! Dad, we have to get over there!"

My father nodded and opened up his glider. As my father and I got ready to leave the dock, Tarrlok tried to stop us. "I can assure you that there is nothing wrong. My fleet would-"

When my father flew away from him and his men, I couldn't help but smirk.

When we reached Aang Memorial Island, we ran inside. I gasped when I saw Korra laying unconsciously on the floor. There were Earth pillars sticking out from the floor, parts of the pillars were chipped off, cracks on the walls - Amon was here.

As my father and I approached her, her first word was, "Aang?" I looked over to my father who ignored it. That's odd.

"Korra!" My father sat her up while I walked to the other side of her. "Korra, are you alright?! What happened?! Was Amon here?!"

"Y-yeah. He ambushed me." She responded tiredly. "I knew it." I gritted, thinking of how Tarrlok was just sure everything was alright.

Afraid of the answer, my father stuttered, "Did he... did he take your bending away?"

Korra opened her palm and I sighed in relief when a good sized flame came out. "No... I'm okay."

"Ah, thank goodness." When Korra started to sob, I wrapped my arm around her. I didn't break the hug when she embraced my father. "I was so terrified! I felt so helpless!"

"It's alright. The nightmare is over." My father reassured. Or it's just the beginning.

Korra pulled away from us, "You- you were right. I've been scared this whole time! I-I've never felt like this before and, Tenzin, I don't know what to do!" She embraced my father and I once again. "Admitting your fears is the first, and most difficult step, in overcoming them."

"And as strong as you are, Korra," I brushed her hair down with my hand. "They'll be gone in no time."