Archive of Our Own ^beta

A breath. Heavy and ragged was the only sound. The rumbles of the earth, the roar as the world reshaped itself had long quieted. It was still. Everything was still once more. Before earthquakes had shaken the world. Before buildings had crumbled away, continents had shifted, and the world had changed.

She doubted that Republic City stood anymore. At least not as it once did. She hoped it was still okay. Somehow. Some way. She wanted to it still stand. But she doubted it.

The North and South Poles should be okay. They should be far away enough that neither of those places should have been affected by this. By what she had done.

Korra was sitting down, her back leaning heavily against the crumbling wall of the old palace in Ba Sing Se. Her eyes were still aglow. But the blue light flickered a bit now. She could feel herself and Raava fading. She had to let go. She couldn’t allow the Avatar to die with her. That had almost happened once already…

Actually it had almost happened twice... Maybe more than that. Thinking back on her life and on the stories she was told of Aang while growing up, she had her doubts that the two of them were the only ones who had ever almost succumbed to injuries or battle while in the Avatar State.

She wasn’t sure how long she would last once she released her grip on the Avatar State.

Hours.

Minutes.

Maybe just seconds...

She had an arm draped over her stomach. Before it was to apply pressure and try to slow the bleeding from a wound she had gotten during the battle. Now, after doing the feat she had to do just a bit ago, she hadn’t had the strength to keep the pressure and her arm was simply draped over the open cut, allowing it to bleed heavily once again. It coated her arm. She knew it stained her blue Water Tribe outfit. The smell of copper was evident.

Korra shifted and winced as she tried to sit up straighter. Her body couldn’t take the movement though. Or the weight. And she immediately felt herself slid further down the wall again.

Her vision blurred. Her grasp on life and Raava fading even more. She really needed to release the Avatar State already. Raava needed to find the next one. The next Avatar who would have to deal with the mess she was leaving. That thought brought a frown.

The next Avatar… Would they be okay? Would the world hate them? Would the world understand why she did what she did?

She hoped that the new Avatar, whoever it ended up being, would not be saddled with misplaced judgement or hatred towards her.

Everyone had been so mad about the Spirit Portals and her decision to keep them open. Over time they mellowed out about it. Over time, people and spirits learned to live together again.

That was the problem though… It just took time…

She hoped that the new Avatar would be more patient than she was. More like Aang than her. But also maybe a good fighter like her? Maybe willing to land a punch if needed? Maybe she hoped that the new Avatar would end up with the best qualities of both her and Aang…

She blinked. The blue glow was still present in her eyes, but perhaps a little dimmer now.

Aang…

She wished she had had his guidance during her life. Or at least of one of the other Avatars. Any of the Avatars really. Usually when she thought of Avatar advice though, her mind always thought of Aang. He was the first to appear to her. And later Wan.

Would Wan be proud of her? Would Wan understand why this had to happen? Or Wan would be angry? Frustrated with her that the world had come so close to ending in the first place?

Aang and the Wan… The only two Avatars she had really had the opportunity to meet and speak with…

She wasn’t sure if she would be able to connect with the new Avatar. If the cycle had just been reset, or if it had been completely eliminated.

The new Avatar would need guidance. Desperately. Because of the mess she had left. And she wasn’t sure if she could provide it. And that scared her a bit. It made her feel guilty.

She wished that Tenzin were still here. He would be able to provide the new Avatar with guidance. And she felt guilt at that thought. Tenzin had lived a long life. It was only right that he be able to rest and relax in the Spirit World.

Maybe the new Avatar could find him in the Spirit World. Maybe she could find some way to impart that message.

Go into the Spirit World. Find instructors there. Tenzin. Katara. They’re good people. Good people who will understand. They helped the Avatar. They trained the Avatar. Katara had even trained two so…

In the material world though… Who could help the new Avatar? Her thoughts turned back and scanned for names and faces. Her brain was foggy now. Her grip on both the Avatar State and her life was steadily slipping away. She knew she was waiting for… something before she released the Avatar State completely. She was just having a hard time remembering what.

Korra knew she was fortunate. She had the help of many throughout her life. But who would she suggest that the new Avatar depend on the most? Who could she trust to understand the plight of the Avatar? The burdens they would feel? And answer the questions they would undoubtedly ask? Who would even have the correct answers?

A face flashed in her head. A blue, arrow tattoo and chestnut colored hair… Jinora!.

Korra’s eyes widened as the name echoed in her mind. Jinora could be a good mentor! Hopefully she was still okay… And just as quickly as her hope had been ignited, it diminished. And Korra realized that she wasn’t sure how her companions were doing. If they were even alright.

Everyone had a job they had to do today. Everyone had their own battles to face. She hoped everyone had made it out okay. That she was the only casualty of this event.

Her vision flickered again. Darkness was creeping in. She couldn’t hold onto the Avatar State any longer and not kill Raava as well as herself. The Avatar State was keeping her alive at the moment. It was buying her time. She wasn’t sure why she wanted more time though. What was so important that she needed to stay for just a bit longer.

She decided to drop that thought and focus on the future again. Not her future of course but of the new Avatar’s.

Jinora would be an excellent teacher (If she was still alive). Jinora could train the new Avatar in air bending as well as the spiritual aspects of the Avatar’s duties. But the new Avatar would need more than just one teacher. Korra knew that. And so she thought back. She thought of people she knew who would trust to help the new Avatar.

Mako could teach fire bending. Bolin earth and maybe metal. The new Avatar would have to find a water bending teacher… But what else…?

Korra sighed. Being the Avatar could be rough. Being the Avatar was often a draining job and one that no one was ever really able to prepare her for, when she was young. There were moments during her life she wished she hadn’t been born the Avatar. Moments where she wished she was just a normal bender. A normal kid.

She wished then that the new Avatar would have their own Katara. Someone who understood. Someone who would treat the Avatar as a person rather than just the Avatar.

But who of her friends would do that? Mako was… sympathetic. Bolin would just try to use humor, which sometimes grated on her nerves. Jinora… maybe…? But Jinora was also really big on accepting duty and responsibility.

A new face flashed in her head then. A face she wanted to kick herself for forgetting. Dark, raven colored hair. Emerald green eyes that often shone with amusement and love whenever she met them.

…Asami...

Asami could help the new Avatar! Asami would help the new Avatar. Korra was sure of it. Asami could be the new Avatar’s Katara. Providing guidance and support.

Korra blinked away and was surprised to feel a stray tear roll down her cheek. She realized then that she wasn’t even sure if Asami was okay. She better be! She better be safe. She better be alive at least.

That is why she was still here. That is why she hasn’t given up her grasp on the Avatar State. Why she was fighting so desperately for just a few meager moments of life.

She wanted to see Asami again. She needed to see Asami again. She had to make sure her wife was okay. She also didn’t want to leave her without giving her a final message. From the stories she told by Tenzin, his siblings, and even Katara, Aang had been able to do that at least. She was sure that she deserved the same. And if not her, then her loved ones deserved it.

She was fading quicker now though. And there was no sign that anyone was coming. A few more tears fell down her cheeks and she blinked again, releasing her grip on the Avatar State one last time. Before the blue glow faded completely though, she heard a voice deep inside her mind.

Are you sure you want to do this?

It was weary. It sounded as exhausted as Korra felt then. Soft and almost gone.

“Y-yes,” Korra choked the word out. Her voice was rough and felt like sandpaper. She brought her other hand up and coughed immediately. As she brought her hand back, she noticed fresh blood on her closed fist.

It felt as though Raava nodded in her head. As though she was in some kind of agreement with her. The blue light finally faded from Korra’s eyes and she was just Korra again.

She felt something else then. Something that brought a strange combination of fear and acceptance.

You did good… Raava spoke in her head again.

“T-thanks…” Korra breathed the word out. Her time was almost up. She knew it. Raava must know it as well. She felt Raava’s presence faded from her.

No matter what… I will be with you throughout all of your lifetimes…

Korra had heard that before. She knew she had. But she had another name then. She didn’t have the strength to speak anymore. She couldn’t utter even a word or even just nod her head in acknowledgement. She hoped Raava understood but…

Raava left her. Korra slumped forward. Her strength that had been gradually ebbing away was nearly gone now. All around her were ruins. The world was not the same. Of course it wasn’t. All Korra could do now was hope. Hope that the next Avatar would fix whatever mistakes this event would undoubtedly cause.