ruler of her heart, KORRA

𝟬𝟬𝟲 Her Deep Anguish

── 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

[ 006 ] HER DEEP ANGUISH
❝I needed you. But you weren't there.❞

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

 AFTER GETTING THE BROTHERS back to their place, Sanyu insisted on accompanying Korra to Air Temple Island to make sure she would be safe.

 The moon hung high in the sky that night, its light so bright that it seemed to fill the entire world with a soft glow. Sanyu couldn't help but stare at it, mesmerized. Positioned atop the hill, near the tower, it was an unforgettable sight. As a child, she had always dreamed of visiting the moon, hoping one day she would meet the selfless and kind woman who had sacrificed herself to protect her people.

 For a brief moment, the beauty of the moon distracted her from everything else, including the horrifying memory of Amon permanently stripping someone of their bending. But despite the peaceful sight before her, Sanyu couldn't escape the overwhelming sense of fear that crept over her. It was a feeling she knew all too well, one that always dragged her back to that agonizing night she desperately tried to forget.

 Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart raced as the memory of Zaheer's cold, ruthless face flashed in her mind. It felt as if the memory had come alive.

 Instinctively, her hand moved to clutch her chest, her fingers pressing against her ribs, trying to calm the frantic pounding of her heart. The memory hit her with the same cruel force she had felt when Amon took away bending──this time, it felt like Zaheer had tried to take her life that night. Every part of her body screamed with fear, as if the danger was still there, just waiting to strike again.

 Sanyu clenched her fists, desperately trying to ground herself in the present, but the memories clung to her like a thick fog. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and a cold shiver crawled down her spine. The air around her felt heavy, suffocating, as if she couldn't breathe.

 In that moment, it wasn't just a memory. It was as if she were reliving the nightmare, unable to escape from it. Zaheer's chilling laughter rang in her ears, each mocking chuckle more haunting than the last, sending waves of dread through her as she remembered every cruel moment.

 Korra, sensing something was wrong from the rapid rise and fall of Sanyu's chest, turned to look at her. She noticed the way Sanyu's fists were clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white.

 "Sanyu, are you okay...?" Korra started, but before she could finish, Tenzin interrupted.

 "Thank goodness!" Tenzin hurried toward them, flanked by two White Lotus sentries. Relief flooded his face as he approached. "I was just about to send out a search party. Are you two alright?"