Thunder Roars || LOK Mako x OC

Book 5 ~ Chapter 5

"Chang?" Lei whispered, her voice trembling. She staggered back, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

The man lying before them was indeed Chang, Lei's former lover who was believed to have died years ago. His face bore the marks of hardship, and his expression, even in unconsciousness, was one of pain and torment.

Mako stepped forward, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Lei, is this who I think it is?"

Lei took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Chang... we thought you died," Her voice was filled with a mix of disbelief and sorrow. "How are you even alive?!"

Chang struggled to sit up, wincing from his injuries. "It's not safe to talk here, Lei," he began, his voice gaining strength. "There are eyes everywhere. I can explain everything, but not here."

Mako's eyes narrowed. "Why should we trust you? You come back from the dead and expect us to believe you're on our side?"

Chang met Mako's gaze, his expression earnest. "I understand your distrust. But I'm here to help. There's a threat to the Fire Nation, and I have information that could save lives."

Lei looked between Mako and Chang, her emotions in turmoil. "We need to get somewhere low. He's right, it's not safe out here."

Mako hesitated, wondering if he was trustable, but reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But we're keeping a close eye on him."

Team Avatar found themselves in an abandoned building right in the middle of the deserted marketplace. Juyin had gone to check the perimeter while Opal radio'ed Korra and Asami to fill them in on the situation and their whereabouts. Chang sat on an old crate, that was strong enough to hold his weight. He sat in silence as Lei stared at him, still feeling a mix of emotions upon seeing him in flesh. Mako leaning on a post with arms crossed, not far behind her, watched her gaze on him. He couldn't help but feel sympathy at the same time, jealousy. Juyin entered the building with Korra and Asami following behind her.

Juyin walked up to Lei, "The area is clear,"

"Lei, what's going on?" Korra asked, her gaze shifting to the man, unknown to her. Lei approached Chang, his eyes locking with hers.

"Chang, how are you alive?" Lei asked, her heart beating so fast, urging to know the answer.

Chang took a deep breath, his gaze steady on Lei's. "After I left you that night of the attack, I was captured. They wanted information on you, but I never gave them anything. They had me captured for months but I managed to escape, but not without a price," he paused, "I lost my memory after trying to escape the first time. I only recovered my memory last year,"

Korra crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Who captured you? And why come back now?"

"It was a rogue faction within the Fire Nation. They call themselves Azure and their leader— the Dragon King. They're planning something big against the Fire Nation. I managed to gather enough intel to know that they're targeting key locations. I was going to act on them myself but I heard you were back in the Fire Nation. I was worried they'd target you so I followed you. I wanted to warn you, to help stop them," Chang explained, his tone urgent.

Asami stepped forward, her analytical mind already working. "Do you have any specifics? locations, times, anything we can use?"

Chang nodded. "Yes, I have details. They're planning to strike within the week, hitting the Fire Nation's central city and a few outlying towns. They aim to destabilize the region, cause chaos, and then move in with their own forces."

Mako frowned, still skeptical. "And why should we believe you? How do we know this isn't a trap?"

Chang's expression softened, and he looked directly at Lei. "Because I wouldn't risk coming back if it wasn't true. I wouldn't put Lei, or any of you, in danger without a good reason. I've been through hell to get this information to you. Please, trust me."