Chapter Text

EXT. EARTH PALACE - EVENING -

Countless columns of smoke now trail up into the air in the distance. In the parade ground before the palace, people are fleeing both in and out of the compound. KORRA swoops down out of the sky, landing and furling her glider staff near the airship. Her friends and the three White Lotus personnel rush up to meet her.

KORRA

The city's chaos. I can't find the Red Lotus.

LIN

Going out by yourself was a stupid risk. You know they're after you.

KORRA

That lava-bender has been tearing giant holes in the city's walls, but he's always in front of me. Riots are breaking out everywhere. I saw soldiers fighting people, people fighting people, everything.

ASAMI

(nods)

We've been trying to get in communication, but everyone's confused. The military's trying to regain control but earth-bending rioters have torn down sections of the rail system. Parts of the city are cut off.

MAKO

There's at least three forces all claiming to be the central government here.

(sticks out his arm to catch a man who is running toward the palace grounds exit with arms full of loot)

Come on man, could you not loot right in front of the Avatar?

LOOTER

I work in the palace! Does it look like I'm going to get paid any time soon? I need to provide for my family.

A PALACE SOLDIER runs up near them and points to LOOTER.

PALACE SOLDIER

Hey you!

(grabs him by the shoulder to pull away from Mako)

Come on. I know where all the really expensive stuff is!

(sees Korra)

Er...Avatar.

(salutes vaguely)

MAKO grunts and shoves LOOTER on his way.

There is crash of earth-bending fighting from somewhere else within the huge palace compound. One of the rescued air-benders screams in fright.

KORRA

We need to get them out of here. They've been through enough danger.

LIN

Right. If we wait too long then whoever ends up on the throne might remember all the crimes we committed to get their legally conscripted troop of air soldiers out. And telegram came in from Zaofu. Suyin and her forces are flying in to "provide humanitarian relief", so we can at least pull Korra out of the city with a clean conscience.

KORRA

No. I'm staying.

MAKO

What? Korra, Zaheer's killing people here. You need to-

KORRA

I need to stay where I am. It's the duty of the Avatar to protect the balance of the world. All this happened right under my nose, it's my duty to try and put things right.

(turns)

Aoto, you and the other White Lotus take the airship and get the air-benders to Tenzin in the Northern Air Temple.

AOTO

No, Korra, it's the duty of the White Lotus to protect the Avatar. We serve-

KORRA

(half commanding, half pleading)

If you serve me, then please listen. I need you. I need something to be saved.

(she turns to look at the smoke in the distance)

Because I'm not sure I can win here.

After a moment, AOTO reluctantly nods.

AOTO

Avatar Korra, be safe.

BOLIN

Don't worry, we'll watch her!

KORRA

(to Aoto)

Yeah, I'll try.

AOTO and his two White Lotus fellows turn and exit to board the Airship. A few moments later the airship begins to lift up into the sky. KORRA and her friends watch from below. KORRA clenches her fist at her side.

KORRA

Zaheer is going to pay for this.

INT. AIRSHIP

In the control room, AOTO gives orders to the two others.

AOTO

I'll get the heading set. Inuksuk, make sure the air-benders are all safely in their rooms. Sang, do one last patrol of the ship, make sure everything's battened down that should be. With luck we'll be able to turn around at the temple and get back to Ba Sing Se before Korra confronts the Red Lotus.

The other two White Lotus nod and leave on their tasks.

SANG moves down a narrow maintenance corridor, opening doors and checking inside. Then he opens one and jerks back as he comes face to face with all four Red Lotus fighters waiting in the dark. GAHZAN holds a finger to his lips with a smile. Then SANG recovers from his surprise and smiles. He bows to ZAHEER as the rest of the Red Lotus smile in the shadows.

EXT. BA SING SE - DAY -

The city shows signs of rioting and disorder. Shop windows are smashed, crude barricades have been built across streets, and some buildings are smoke-stained. KORRA stands on an earth-bent wall she has raised up in the middle of a large city square between two battling factions of citizens. Both sides are yelling demands, pleas, and accusations at her. She looks exhausted as she holds out her hands begging for peace, yet not able to ensure it. Then she looks up and sees four shining Zaofu branded airships sailing overhead.

BOLIN

Zaofu! Oh, thank you, some help.

ASAMI

(to Korra, less excited)

Suyin Beifong's here.

KORRA

And probably wants to take charge.

(mostly to herself)

At this point I'd let her.

The airships pass above them, slowly descending in the direction of the middle of the city.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

JINORA looks down from a high tower at the Avatar-branded airship rising up from the valley below the temple's mountaintop site. She smiles as it gets closer. She flips out the wings of her glider staff to fly down to a lower level of the temple where TENZIN is waiting with PEMMA and the students.

JINORA

(lands)

It's them.

TENZIN

From the telegram they sent, it sounded like Korra got the air-benders out of Ba Sing Se just in time. The Earth Queen's fall threw everything into chaos.

OPAL

(eager, then embarrassed)

Is Bolin on the ship? Er, I mean, who all is with them?

PEMMA

(shakes her head)

The message said just Commander Aoto and his two men accompanied them. Poor things. They haven't had much choice in all this have they?

The airship lowers down above the landing space. It hovers about a hundred feet up. Its side door opens and AOTO stands there, looking out at air-benders and the Temple with his hands held behind his back in a military posture.

TENZIN

(looking at AOTO from the distance)

Ah, there's Aoto now. A good man, I got to know him on the trip from-

AOTO pitches forward out of the open airship door with his hands still tied behind his back. He plummets down and hits the stone of the landing space fifty feet below with a lethal thud.

OPAL and a few other of the air benders scream.

PEMMA

(breathless horror)

Oh wha-?! What-

TENZIN

(abruptly intense)

Get to shelter! Now! Everyone! Pemma, the kids! Jinora, get the students to-!

Aboard the airship, P'LI takes the space of the late AOTO. She breathes in and then exhales to shoot out an explosion ray at the walkway that JINORA had been about to lead the air-benders across.

Then ZAHEER appears behind them, on the roof of one of the temple buildings. He jumps down to the level of TENZIN and the air-benders, gently cushioning his decent on a swirl of air.

ZAHEER

Air Master Tenzin, it is an honor to finally meet you.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

BUMI is lying in bed, asleep. At the sound of the first explosion he jerks awake and is on his feet in one instantaneous movement of trained reflex. He rushes to the window and sees the menacing airship and trails of smoke as the second explosion goes off. His expression grows serious.

He turns to his giant backpack and opens it to reveal a costume much like those the air-benders are all wearing. BUMI looks at it fondly. Then he whips it back, throwing it into the corner as he reveals that the entire rest of his massive bag is stuffed full of weapons; swords, knives, crossbow bolts, and grenades. He grins.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

The air-benders shrink back, caught between the hostile floating airship and ZAHEER. PEMMA clutches her baby with one arm as she pulls MEELO and IKI close with the other. TENZIN stands tall in the center of the group. GAHZAN and MING HUA approach in the distance from the landing below.

TENZIN

(to Zaheer)

What do you want from us? What did you do to the Ba Sing Se air-benders?

ZAHEER

(genial)

To answer both; nothing. The Earth Queen's victims are simply tied up aboard the ship. We only needed a ride, and something we knew Korra would come to protect. If everyone cooperates, you all will depart this incident perfectly unharmed.

KAI

And why'd we believe that? We know who you are. We've heard what you did.

OPAL

(terrified but defiant)

We won't help you capture Korra!

ZAHEER

Unfortunately, you don't have a choice.

TENZIN

(breathes out)

Yes, I do.

ZAHEER

Your declarations-

TENZIN bursts forward, dashing in an instant to stop right in front of ZAHEER, with his palms thrust forward in a pose of strength. ZAHEER is thrown backwards by a powerful blast of wind. He bounces and rolls across the floor until it lifts him and sends him towards a wall. ZAHEER manages to land feet-first on the vertical wall and uses all the air-bending he can muster to try and fight against this blast of air power. He can barely stay in place

Taking this signal, JINORA spins and summons up a dust twister which zips on down the stairs to where MING HUA and GHAZAN are running up to help their ally, temporarily blinding them with grit.

PEMMA

(to air-benders)

This way!

The air-benders begin to flee.

Off in the open door of the overlooking airship, P'LI sees this incipient escape and turns her head towards them, breathing in to prepare her explosion ray technique. Then she is very distracted by the crossbow bolt that abruptly punctures the metal cabin wall just to the side of her head.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

BUMI looks up from a window halfway above the crisis zone where he has now set up his crossbow. He examines the weapon.

BUMI

(mildly surprised)

Huh, it does pull to the left.

Then he jerks to attention and scrambles down the hallway just as his previous window site explodes.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

TENZIN's air blast finally weakens and drops as GAHZAN and MING HUA get up to the fight area. The air-benders are disappearing at a run into a building around the corner. ZAHEER falls down from where he had been pressed against the wall and lands on his feet.

ZAHEER

(to Ming Hua and Gahzan)

Go! After them! I can handle-

TENZIN goes for another air blast but ZAHEER is ready this time and moves to counter. However, it was a faint and TENZIN swings around to blast ZAHEER from the other direction, sweeping his feet out from under him and carrying the power around to blow MING HUA into GAHZAN. ZAHEER lunges to punch at TENZIN but he dodges and leaps up to a rooftop, ZAHEER giving chase.

GAHZAN and MING HUA exit in pursuit of the air-benders.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE GROUNDS

The group of air-benders is about to exit through an archway when the "crack crack boom" of P'LI's explosion attack flashes out in front of them. They freeze in place as the slowly drifting airship begins to cross behind another tower, temporarily shielding them from P'LI.

PEMMA

(pointing down to a lower level)

We need to get down to the flying bison. From there we can go to-

KAI

(Pointing back behind them)

Look out!

Blades of ice shoot out of the doorway to building behind them. JINORA manages to snap into action, deflecting the ice attacks with a swirl of wind. GAHZAN and MING HUA emerge from the building.

MING HUA

(wolfish grin)

Don't fight us. Give up now and I won't get to have any fun. Trust me, that's the way you want it.

Some of the air-benders start to run but GAHZAN raises up a stone barrier across their walkway path. He then levitates up a chunk of rock in front of him as he begins to melt it down into a lava disk.

GAHZAN

(smiling)

I'd listen to her.

JINORA

Opal, Kai, grab my mom. Meelo, Iki, show everyone what you do on a cliff.

MING HUA attacks with one of her water tentacles whipping out, but JINORA shreds its tip with a compact swirling air shield. MEELO and IKI run to the edge of the platform.

IKI

(jumps)

Everybody down!

MEELO

(jumping off)

Down!

The air-benders leap down the thirty foot drop, cushioning their fall at the bottom.

GAHZAN pulls his fist back to punch down with an attack at the fleeing air-benders but then an explosion goes of nearby. He jerks back and looks up at the airship.

GAHZAN

Hey, P'li! Watch it! That almost hit...!

A grenade lands on the walkway beside him and bounces to his feet.

GAHZAN

Oh.

He leaps backwards and brings up a wall of earth just as the grenade explodes. As the dust clears he catches sight of BUMI running through a door, dodging a genuine explosion ray from P'LI's airship that just misses.

GAHZAN

Ming Hua! We've got someone behind...!

He sees her off in the distance down the mountain side chasing the air benders.

GAHZAN

(sighs)

Yeah, ok.

He runs after BUMI.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE ROOFTOPS

ZAHEER is fighting TENZIN but discovering that he is outclassed. ZAHEER's style mostly uses his new air-bending powers to enhance his already formidable martial arts style, however TENZIN has trained in this art for his entire life. None of ZAHEER's attacks can land a hit.

The tide turns and now ZAHEER is fleeing from TENZIN.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

JIONRA and the air-benders are running. The mountain temple echoes with explosions. JINORA briefly stops to look up and see the airship begin to drift around to the opposite side of the temple where it will not be able to see them. However, it can be heard to be revving up its engines to quickly get back into a firing line coming from the other side.

JINORA

(looking at airship)

That fire bender will shoot all the bison out of the sky before we can get away.

OPAL

(panting)

Maybe we can go low or-

JINORA twirls her glider staff and snaps the wings out into place. Then she leaps up in a rush of wind flying of after the airship.

PEMMA

(screams)

Jinora, no!

OPAL grabs onto PEMMA and pulls her into running again with IKI as KAI grabs onto MEELO's hand to drag him with the rest of them.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

GAHZAN runs in to the building and dashes around a corner only to be surprised by BUMI standing across the room calmly leaning against the wall. GAHZAN is made hesitant by this display, but he is still confidant.

GAHZAN

Inside to avoid P'LI's gaze. Well, you're not an idiot. But who are you?

BUMI

(smiles back while his thumb rests gently on the hilt of his sword)

I'm air nation, what's it look like? And you're a great earth-bender but you definitely can't use metal. The metal benders can't resist the armor, with their powers strengthening it I can see why but-

GAHZAN

You're stalling. Trying to cut the odds for the others to escape.

BUMI

(shrugs)

Course I am. Why the hell else would I be standing here chatting with the guy who attacked my family? I mean, I'd hoped to draw both of you off but I'll still try to give them some extra advantage.

(brief pause)

Well, it's either that or I might have made the fuses a bit too long and needed to waste some time here.

GAHZAN

...Fuses?

BUMI jumps out the window frame behind him as GAHZAN dashes forward. The floor explodes from underneath him as GAHZAN brings up his arms in a guarding motion.

EXT. BISON ROOST

Lower down the side of the temple, a broad walkway bridges over a small stream that makes its way down the slope in pools and thin waterfalls.

OPAL

(points across the bridge to both bison)

There it is!

As the air benders run towards their destination, the airship emerges around a corner of the temple. P'LI's explosion ray erupts out and blasts near the flying bison. The beasts roar in distress and look back at the air benders running towards them. However, then another blast goes off and the scared animals take flight.

Up in the open airship door, P'LI stands at attention holding JINORA's crumpled and weakly struggling shape.

The air-benders stagger to a halt and turn to face their pursuer, OPAL and JINORA taking the lead. MING HUA rounds a corner into view, her water tentacles whipping menacingly through the air. She readies to charge but then she is distracted by a sound above her of tumbling and cursing mixed with screaming.

BUMI comes down the steep tile roofs above them, half running and sliding, half falling and bouncing. Whatever acrobatics he had been attempting had gone wrong. He lands down onto the walkway heavily and rolls through the dust. When he stops he looks up at the air benders and grunts.

BUMI

Ow. Kinda hoped you guys had evaced already.

Up where he had come from the mountain side begins to glow orange as thin trickles of lava melted from temple walls come flowing down. GAHZAN drops down beside MING HUQ, raising up the stones beneath him to catch him as he descends.

BUMI stands up and draws his sword, facing them.

BUMI

(determined)

All right, I-

And orange blur flashes in front of him as a flying lava disk zips by and neatly slices through his sword-blade, leaving a melted stump.

MING HUA takes up the attack, throwing out a hail of ice shard projectiles. OPAL and KAI try to push out with wind but when their gust dies BUMI lowers his guarding arms to show that a few of the ice knifes hit him in the shoulder and leg.

MING HUA steps forward, but then ZAHEER lands with a thud down on the ground in front of her. She just has time to took up in surprise as TENZIN drops down and blasts her off the bridge, knocking her heavily against the stream-course of pools and waterfalls. ZAHEER slowly gets up but he has taken a few hits in the course of his fight. TENZIN breathes in and out and stands before his family and students.

OPAL rushes forward to catch hold of BUMI as he staggers.

OPAL

(looking at the trickles of blood)

Are you ok?!

BUMI

(groans in pain while joking)

Pff, I'm fine. It's like playing with my little sister all over again.

MING HUA slowly rises back into view up beside the bridge, her body suspended into the air by twelve immense snaking tentacles of water that all undulate with deadly purpose. She turns and focuses on the air-benders with a predatory fury in her eyes.

BUMI

Or maybe not.

Water lashes out, sweeping over the air-benders and then freezing their limbs against pillars and walls. TENZIN spins to fight MING HUA but he hears the "crack, crack" sound of the explosion ray. He thrusts out his hand and shields most of the blast with a rush of air. However, he is pushed back and just barely dodges and blocks the two whips of lava that come his way from GAHZAN. TENZIN fights well but he is surrounded and begins to take hits. Whenever he begins to get an upper hand another of P'LI's attacks throws off his technique.

TENZIN pants, battered and bashed before his captured people.

ZAHEER

Give up. You've lost.

TENZIN

Not while I'm still breathing.

The three Red Lotus on the ground lash out at him with their power as he stands in the middle and tries to resist.

INT. THRONE ROOM

SUYIN stands with her hands clenched into trembling fists, looking up at the late queen's throne that dominates the room. The jeweled screen behind it has been stripped and hacked apart. Her head of security, Commander KUVIRA stands near a group of Earth Kingdom military figures, beside where KORRA and her friends are. A ZAOFU SOLDIER is reading a message.

ZAOFU SOLDIER

...then Avatar Korra is to turn herself over to the Red Lotus in exchange for the hostages. The exchange will happen at the Northern Air Temple. Come alone and they will be released safely. The telegram is signed, Zaheer.

MAKO

(quietly)

Damn him.

KORRA opens her mouth to speak but SUYIN beats her to the punch.

SUYIN

(furious)

Kuvira, recall our forces and prepare the airships to take off! We're leaving the instant they've got fuel.

KUVIRA

(surprised)

Mam? All of them? This city is going up in flames, and we've just barely began to restore any order. If we withdraw now thousands will die here, maybe more. If we could break off a small detachment for the mission to-

SUYIN

Opal is at the temple! My daughter. Those murderers have her! I'm going to come crashing down on them with everything I've got. Prepare to leave. That is an order!

KUVIRA

(steels her expression)

Respectfully, no.

SUYIN

What?

KUVIRA

(making her stand)

I will not abandon the welfare of millions to save a handful, even if they are people I love and respect. I can't allow it.

(appeasing)

But we will send a detachment, our best fighters, in our fastest airship. We'll get your daughter free and save this city. The Avatar remaining here in Ba Sing Se will make up for that reduction in our forces so we will still be able to-

KORRA

(turns)

I'm going to Zaheer.

LIN

(disbelieving)

What?

ASAMI

(shocked)

Korra, no.

MAKO

That's exactly what he wants!

KORRA

Republic City, Zaofu, Ba Sing Se. The Red Lotus has been targeting me and everyone else has been paying the price. I will not let Tenzin and the others be another set of victims. I was the one who chose to not be there with them. It's my mistake to fix.

LIN

Idiot. He'll kill you. Then where'll we be?

KORRA

(shakes her head)

I was unconscious in his arms in Zaofu. He could have slit my throat in a second. Whatever he wants me for, it's something else. But I don't care. The air nation must be saved. Zaheer and his people have to be stopped or else every city in the world is going to be thrown the way of Ba Sing Se.

BOLIN

So you're just going to turn yourself in? By yourself?

KORRA

What? No! You all and the detachment of Zaofu soldiers are coming with me and are going to break me back out the instant the air-benders are safe! Then I'm going to get thrown into the glowy eye Avatar state and beat the Red Lotus down into the dust.

(grumbles)

You better not leave me by myself.

EXT. BA SING SE

One of the Zaofu airships slowly rises into the air. The vast city below is still smoking.

INT. AIRSHIP OBSERVATION DECK

SUYIN stands beside a window, her arms crossed tightly across her chest in worry. LIN slowly approaches behind her.

LIN

Don't worry, we'll get your daughter back, together. In the meantime, she'll be fine. I saw enough of Opal to know that she's got a head of her shoulders. Between her and Tenzin they'll be safe.

(reaches out to touch Suyin's shoulder for awkward reassurance)

Of course it beats me how any of your kids turned out so smart. They sure didn't get anything from our side.

(slight wry smile)

SUYIN

(a single sad snort of laughter breaks through)

Ha, it's a mystery to me too.

They stand side by side looking at Ba Sing Se drifting away below.

INT. AIRSHIP, KORRA'S CABIN

KORRA sits cross legged in meditation. Her face occasionally twitches with frustration. In front of her the air shimmers in the dim forms of the past Avatars. Their shadowy shapes ripple and shift between the many persons, AANG for an instant, then ROKU or KYOSHI. Their lips move but it is only a murmuring whisper.

Then KORRA breathes out and opens her eyes, the shimmering apparitions vanishing from in front of her. ASAMI speaks up from where she has been sitting quietly in the corner of the room.

ASAMI

What did they say? The past Avatars.

KORRA

I could barely make anything out. I've not got the trick for this down yet. But still, it's comforting.

ASAMI

(with a slight smile)

Comforting?

KORRA

Yeah, to know that even if everything goes wrong here there's going to be another one of me to take up the slack. Even if I die, you guys will still have an Avatar.

KORRA jerks at the sharp sound of ASAMI shoving her chair back with the force of suddenly standing.

ASAMI

(distressed and angry)

I told you not to joke about that.

KORRA

(a bit shaken by her reaction and trying to explain)

I'm not joking. I've just spent so many years terrified of failing as what I am, and then I see the hundreds who went before me. It's...No matter what happens, the next version will take over where I left off.

ASAMI

(trying to be supportive but still upset)

Well, your not going to have to worry about that. The exchange and the rescue are going to go perfectly. The Red Lotus couldn't win against the Zaofu fighters last time and this won't be any different.

KORRA

Thanks, Asami. Yeah, Zaheer may have tricks but he's not just fighting people and rules. He's fighting the cycle of balance, and that's bigger than him. And me.

ASAMI still looks worried but she hides that as she moves over to sit closer to KORRA.

INT. NORTHERN AIR TEMPLE - HALL OF AVATAR STATUES

The tall tower room filled with the spiral ramp of statues is still and gives the air of abandonment. ZAHEER sits cross legged just inside in the doorway facing the statues.

ZAHEER

(meditating)

Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty and become wind.

(breathes)

Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty and become wind.

Steps echo out in the hall behind him.

P'LI

(soft and gentle)

We got her on the radio. She's almost here

ZAHEER

(slowly stands)

Then it's nearly over.

P'LI

(puts her hands on his shoulders and looks him in the eyes with love)

You will succeed. You've saved me so many times. From imprisonment, from slavery to the warlord, from myself. You've saved all of us and now you're going to save the course of the history.

ZAHEER

(looks up at her)

I love you.

P'LI

(Smiles at an old joke of theirs)

Yes, you do.

EXT. NORTHERN MOUNTAINS

The Zaofu airship makes its way through steep valleys beneath jagged snow capped peaks, chugging through drifting wisps of clouds.

EXT. MOUNTAIN VALLEY

The airship has landed down at an open space in one of the undeveloped valleys. ASAMI, MAKO, and BOLIN stand on the ramp while LIN, SUYIN, the Zaofu forces, and KORRA stand a little ways off settling their armor and weapons.

SUYIN

(to Korra)

We'll head off now and start climbing up to this new meeting point Zaheer chose. Korra, time your own arrival at that place to coincide with the airship reaching the temple.

KORRA

Asami'll radio me when they release the air-benders. If everything goes smoothly, you guys just hide and watch for where Zaheer takes me off to. Don't risk anything by trying to get me out early.

LIN

Right. Good luck.

The Zaofu strike-force leaves.

KORRA walks forward along the ridge-top they have landed on. As she reaches the rim she can see around a mountain ridge to the Air Temple off in the distance. She stands there holding the glider staff in one hand with the large bulk of a radio-pack slung across her back. Her three friends come up behind her.

MAKO

Korra, I... You know that I really... Just, be careful.

KORRA

(smiling sadly back at him)

You too.

(She sees Bolin walking towards her)

Bolin, keep-

BOLIN cuts her off with a huge emotional bear-hug. ASAMI stays back a few steps, her arms crossed tight across her stomach, not trusting herself to speak.

KORRA steps back and smiles at all three of her friends. She flicks her glider staff to deploy out the wings.

KORRA

All right, let's do this.

The airship lifts up off the now deserted ridge-top as KORRA's little glider flies off on its own path.

EXT. SHEER MOUNTAIN SIDE

The metal armored Zaofu forces approach the bottom of a cliff up to a mountain peak. They look up and shoot out the metal cables from the spools at their hips, latching on to rock holds and reeling back with their earth-bending power to pull the fighters up. LIN halts at the bottom of the cliff, frowns and then reaches out to grab a handhold and lifts her foot towards a small crack.

SUYIN looks at her with exasperation.

SUYIN

(flat reproach)

Lin.

The now grumbling LIN grabs onto her sister and together the metal-bender strike force scales the cliff.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

The Zaofu airship climbs up to the Northern Air Temple and slowly docks. As MAKO, BOLIN and ASAMI are tying it down, GAHZAN walks out of the entrance to the temple. ASAMI has a radio pack.

MAKO

(to Gahzan)

All right, where are they?

GAHZAN

(with a smile)

Right this way.

They follow him into the temple.

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

KORRA's glider makes its way up to the top of this peak but by the end it is clear KORRA is struggling to maintain the flight gusts for so long. She lands slightly roughly and comes to a rest bracing on her knee against the rock. ZAHEER and P'LI are standing across this broad flat top, with the Avatar marked airship tied up behind them. P'LI is holding chains.

KORRA's radio crackles to life, causing her to look off towards the Air Temple across the valley.

ASAMI

(on radio)

We're going inside. Only the lava guy is here with us.

ZAHEER

(to Korra)

I did say to come alone.

KORRA

Hey, I don't know how to fly an airship. Plus, I kind of need someone to tell me that you've actually let the hostages go.

ZAHEER

(shrugs unconcernedly)

Fair enough.

The wind blows across the peak as they wait for ASAMI's confirmation.

KORRA

How could you attack the Air Temple like this? I thought you loved the old air nomads, and then you risk their resurrection?

ZAHEER

(sighs)

Once again, you refuse to understand. The return of air-bending was a miracle of the cosmos. And they were scattered, random, free as individuals and separated from any system of identity or politics. Then Tenzin rounds them up to receive indoctrination under his leadership. To create a new government with only a single master at the top leading an entire people to his vision of the past. Laws and temples all over again. I can think of nothing more sickening.

INT. NORTHERN AIR TEMPLE

MAKO, BOLIN and ASAMI walk through the dim halls of the air temple. They are unsettlingly empty and quiet. GAHZAN leads them to a final door and they enter through it to a long hall. TENZIN is in the middle of the floor, bound, blind folded, and gagged, and badly beaten but he is alive. The rest of the air-benders are sitting at the far end of the hall, cross legged with hoods over their heads and arms tied behind their backs. They struggle against their bonds every once and a while.

GAHZAN

(gesturing from the door)

There you go. Safe, and by some definitions, sound.

The three friends rush forward to TENZIN as ASAMI activates her radio.

ASAMI

(into radio)

Korra, they're here.

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

ASAMI

(on radio)

Tenzin's in very bad shape but they're all alive.

ZAHEER

(holds up his hands)

There you go. I have held up my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn.

P'LI steps forward with the chains. KORRA reluctantly sets down the glider staff and takes off the radio pack. P'LI clinks the manacles around her wrists and ankles.

KORRA

(strains against the chains slightly)

Highly refined? Unbendable?

ZAHEER

Ah, you learned metal-bending? Very good.

KORRA

(to Zaheer)

After all this, what is it you've wanted me for?

ZAHEER

You will discover.

INT. NORTHERN AIR TEMPLE

MAKO begins to burn through TENZIN's bonds as ASAMI checks his injuries. TENZIN is groaning through his gag.

BOLIN

It's ok Mister Tenzin, we're going to get you out of here.

MAKO finishes with the bonds and takes off the blindfold and then gag, just after TENZIN groans something again.

MAKO

(to Tenzin)

What was that?

TENZIN

(weakly)

They're not real.

The would-be rescuers look up with sudden horror and realization. At the end of the hall all the other bound and hooded air-benders suddenly stop their fitful motions all at once. They fall perfectly still. Then one by one they begin to deflate within their clothes. The forms melt and water flows out of the emptying costumes, gathering in streams across the floor that all converge to where MING HUA had been hiding behind the water-double of Pemma and her baby. MING HUA grins with vicious delight. GAHZAN slams the door shut.

ASAMI scrambles at the radio as BOLIN and MAKO jump to their feet.

ASAMI

(into radio)

Trap, trap! Korra, they're-!

A rock shot out by GAHZAN smashes through the radio.

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

KORRA is walking in chains towards the airship ramp with ZAHEER.

ASAMI

(on radio)

...Korra, they're-!

(static)

In the brief instant of realization that follows, KORRA acts first. She jumps up and kicks out with her chained legs to push herself back with a big blast of air that buffets ZAHEER. She lands on the mountain, sliding on her back but flips back up to a standing position. ZHAEER jumps forward to attack.

The Zaofu forces are hiding just below the lip of the mountain top. The radio they carry is now only putting out static.

SUYIN

Go, now!

They leap up onto the top of the mountain and begin dashing towards KORRA. However, P'LI spots them running and turns to shoot out two explosion rays, forcing the earth-benders to raise up rock walls for shelter.

KORRA and ZAHEER are fighting, and even though her arms and legs are still chained she is still holding her own with what she can manage of air, fire, and earth. ZAHEER dodges, but he too is hampered by his unwillingness to risk dealing any fatal damage.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

MAKO and BOLIN launch into attacks against MING HUA and GAHZAN, but MING HUA manages to dash, dodge and deflect around them and end up beside GAHZAN while still dealing a few blows to each of them. ASAMI struggles to get TENZIN up to his feet as they ready to try to fight their way out the door. However, GAHZAN thrust his fists down towards the floor and with a crunch melts a big patch of the stone down to lava. He splashes it our to cross that entire side of the room.

The rescue team backs up, faced by the withering heat of the lava as GAHZAN melts more of the floor.

GAHZAN

Sorry guys, Zaheer was clear. You're not getting out. This new world will start free of the relics of the old.

MAKO punches out with fire at GAHZAN but MING HUA blocks those shots. GHAZAN crouches down, lowering his stance as he summons up all the strength in his body. He thrusts his arms up and then slowly clenches his hands together. The rescue team are confused at first, but then BOLIN yelp and points up at the ceiling. The lines between the stones are beginning to glow orange. The lava on the floor is still slowly creeping towards them.

MAKO

He's going to bring the whole place down on us! Bolin, get us out another way!

MING HUA and GAHZAN exit.

BOLIN has turned to the back wall and is punching out at it, causing cracks to appear in the stones. In the center of the room the ceiling collapses into molten chunks. The hole spreads towards them.

BOLIN

I'm trying! These walls could be a mile thick for all I know!

TENZIN

(weakly raises his arm and points to a corner)

There. There's another room just behind that corner. It's the only place.

BOLIN runs over and thrusts out his arms. The wall bursts inward and exposes a narrow crack to a small closet.

MAKO

This way!

They run in and burst through to another room past which they find a staircase.

MAKO

Up, up, up!

They hurry up the staircase only to suddenly be confronted by an orange light around a corner. Then lava begins to drip down the stairs from above. Distantly they can hear the rumble of a collapsing building and the flow of lava grows thicker.

BOLIN

Down, down, down!

They rush down the stairs and along a hallway with lava beginning to "waterfall" down the stairs behind them. They enter a new room and TENZIN points at one of the other doors.

TENZIN

That way.

MAKO opens the door to see a long hallway just as its ceiling collapses letting in a new tumbling flow of superheated lava from another part of the temple.

MAKO

(closes door)

You got another choice?

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

KORRA and ZAHEER continue to fight. ZAHEER lands a few harsh blows on her but gets one in return. Two of the Zaofu soldiers manages to get past P'LI and briefly turn the tide for KORRA. But then P'LI spins around and hits a Zaofu soldier with a direct hit from the explosion ray, killing him instantly. ZAHEER summons up a whirlwind and sweeps the other soldier off his feet, carrying him out over the cliff until his fell down to his doom. KORRA tries to save him but chained as she is she can't. He screams as he falls.

SUYIN and LIN are pinned down on the other side of the peak, kept at bay by P'LI's deadly long range attacks. SUYIN and the others can fire off rocks at P'LI, but she can blow them up out of the air.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

GAHZAN moves backwards through the temple, unleashing his crushing lava powers on every stone building and stone floor, natural or manmade. MING HUA is behind him near the avatar branded airship.

MING HUA

Come on! That'll carry on by itself!

GAHZAN lets out one last thrusting ripple of destructive energy before jumping up into the departing airship.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

MAKO, BOLIN, ASAMI, and TENZIN come around a corner in another staircase just in time to hear the rumbling crash of the building right in front of them collapse, sheering down off the mountain. The rubble tumbles down before them in dust and splashes of searing orange.

With no other path, BOLIN runs back up the stairs and raises up a stone wall just before the flowing lava reaches it. But even as he turns, the bottom of the wall is beginning to glow faintly orange from the power building up behind it.

ASAMI

(to Tenzin)

Are you strong enough to air-bend us down?

TENZIN

No. I couldn't manage a breeze. I've only got one last thought.

He reaches into his robe and pulls out a small white whistle. He blows into hit but it sounds broken. MAKO and BOLIN turn back towards the sealed path where a lake of lava is building up to come crashing down on them.

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

Even KORRA can't keep up a fight while bound in chains. ZAHEER starts landing punishing hit after hit until eventually KORRA can't continue getting up. ZAHEER then jabs her neck with a dart and then stands over her, panting and triumphant as across the peak P'LI keeps up a constant rain of explosion rays to pin down the other fighters.

INT. AIR TEMPLE

The four still trapped in the bottom reaches of the temple huddle in their sheer alcove overlooking a thousand foot cliff and empty sky. Above them, the temple is burning and collapsing. TENZIN clutches to his small whistle and looks out at the sky with desperation.

TENZIN

(quiet and pleading)

Please.

MAKO

There has to be something!

BOLIN

(listening up the tunnel)

It's giving out!

Up above, the lava succeeds in melting through the rock barrier BOLIN had raised. It breaks and a huge stream of molten rock comes churning down the stairs towards them. MAKO positions his body over ASAMI to uselessly shield her as they both clench their eyes tight in expectation of the end. Only BOLIN is still standing square in the face of the rush of oncoming lava. He looks back at his friends and in that instant all the fear for his own life slips away.

BOLIN steps forward and thrusts his fists out at the blazing orange torrent. Amazingly, at the last instant, it halts. BOLIN steps forward again and pushes out, sending the lava flowing back up the tunnel before he shifts his stance and breathing which lets the heat and power slowly leak out of the lava, hardening it in place.

MAKO gapes back at his brother.

ASAMI

(wide eyed in amazement)

Bolin, you're a lava bender!

BOLIN

(faintly, even more amazed)

I know. I just found out.

Then the crash from that incredible adrenaline high comes and BOLIN buckles comically, almost collapsing as he processes how close to death they all were. At that moment TENZIN's flying bison finally arrives, floating up the side of the cliff in response to the whistle call.

BOLIN

(distantly hysterical)

Oh hey, giant flying monster.

INT. AIR TEMPLE - HALL OF STATUES

The statues of past avatars stand in a pool of lava as the temple shakes and rumbles. One by one a few of them topple and fall to vanish into the molten rock with a splash.

EXT. AIR TEMPLE

The bison soars away, MAKO, BOLIN, ASAMI, and TENZIN on its back, while behind them the towers of the Air Temple crack and collapse down into the lava that pours down its sides.

EXT. LAGHIMA'S PEAK

LIN peaks out of cover to see ZAHEER standing over KORRA. She pulls her head down right before another explosion hits above. The Zaofu fighters have not figured out how to deal with P'LI's incredible power yet.

LIN

They're going to get away with Korra! We have to stop them!

SUYIN

No one can get past that woman! Any attack she sees is instantly blown away. It's all we can do to survive!

LIN looks out at the blackened and pitted mountain top beyond the rock defenses SUYIN has raised. She sees the other Zaofu fighters similarly hunkered down.

LIN

(starts to rise)

Then I'll give her something else to look at.

SUYIN

(grabs Lin's arm)

Lin, no!

LIN

Save the Avatar. Save your daughter.

(turns to look Suyin in the eyes)

I love you.

LIN burst forth from cover, dashing across the open ground. She punches our as she runs, but her weakened earth-bending barely manages a small rock at a rathe slow speed. P'LI focuses on her with a grin, dodging the path of the rock easily as she breaths in to ready an explosion ray. However, LIN pulls her fist to the side and the flying rock curves towards the forehead tattoo, forcing P'LI to dodge again. LIN gives a slight smirk even as she struggles for breath. P'LI is no longer smiling as much as she turns, but LIN just barely manages to dodge the next explosion attack. She comes up from her roll with a bleeding arm.

LIN has nowhere else to run to and P'LI has her in her sights. Behind the fire-bender, SUYIN leaps from her hiding spot. P'LI breaths in to blow LIN away. SUYIN flexes as she runs forward and her metal armor splits, slipping off her as she connects it to her hip mounted cables even as she fires them. The metal armor clutches down around P'LI's head at the instant she fires the explosion ray.

The mountaintop rings with a deafening explosion.

ZAHEER turns back, his eyes wide with horror.

ZAHEER

(screams)

P'li!

He begins to run towards her body but halts when he sees SUYIN and LIN blocking his path. ZAHEER bends down to grab KORRA and lift her up onto his shoulder. He then turns to dash for the airship he came in but before he can get more than a few steps the other Zaofu fighters have gotten around and sliced through the lines that had tied the ship in place, setting it free to drift off. ZAHEER backs up into a corner against a cliff, still holding KORRA, hemmed in by Zaofu fighters.

SUYIN

Give up, Zaheer! You've lost. Tell us where the hostages are!

ZAHEER looks out at the sheer drop of the cliff and the drifting clouds below. They slowly shift in the wind, morphing into new shapes. The anguish and fear on his face slowly begins to be replaced by an eerie calm.

ZAHEER

(softly)

Let go your earthly tether.

(turns back to SUYIN)

Enter the void. Empty, and become wind.

ZAHEER, with KORRA over his shoulder, deliberately steps backwards and falls off the cliff.

LIN

Korra!

The Zaofu forces rush to the edge of the cliff, but then they freeze at its edge. ZAHEER is about a hundred feet below them, standing on a cloud. Then then cloud drifts and parts below him, exposing the valley thousands of feet below and leaving ZAHEER levitating in thin air. He looks up and locks eyes with the Zaofu forces as he slowly rises up, passing other small wisps of cloud without disturbing them by the slightest breeze of his own. The people on the mountaintop watch with helpless amazement as ZAHEER turns and begins to fly off, propelled by this strange new power and carrying KORRA with him.

INT. AIRSHIP - CONTROL ROOM

GAHZAN and MING HUA watch ZAHEER fly by them without any visible means of support or propulsion.

GAHZAN

(befuddled)

Well, that's a thing.

MING HUA

(blinks then frowns)

If he could always do that and never told us I'm going to be pissed.

The airship slowly turns and makes to follow ZAHEER away from the mountain peak and the burning Air Temple.