𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐥𝐨𝐊

XXII

"I believe I have your attention, benders of Republic City."

From the center of the ring below, Amon's voice echoed throughout the arena, and silence fell over the room. "So, once again, the Wolf-Bats are your champions of professional bending. It seems fitting for you to celebrate three bullies who cheat to win. Those men should be the elite of world domination, yet it only took me a few seconds to cleanse them of their impurities. Let this be a warning to all benders worldwide. If any of you oppose me, you will suffer the same fate!"

Lin and Tenzin exchanged a tense glance, the masked man's words echoing in their ears. The woman then lowered her gaze to the white-haired girl who lay unconscious against the wall.

Lin had already begun forming a plan in her mind: gather her metalbenders, and together with Tenzin, perhaps they would have a chance to stop Amon.

The leader of the Equalists continued his rhetorical speech from the ring. "For centuries, benders have possessed an undue advantage over ordinary people. But technology has given us a way to level the playing field. My followers and I will not rest until every city has achieved equality. And as soon as this goal is achieved, we will equalize the rest of the world. THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!"

Over my dead body, Beifong thought as she and Tenzin began making their way to the other side of the ring, ready to put an end to this.

While the Airbender and the metalbenders of the police force helped push the remaining Equalists from the stands, Chief Beifong hung from one of her metal cables attached to a damaged beam of the dome. She moved slightly, keeping pace with Amon and his men, when she saw Korra flash past her in a rotating column of water.

The Avatar was almost reaching the hole in the dome, but it was clear the jet of water wouldn't carry her far enough. Lin reached her with two metal cables and wrapped them around the girl's waist.

Korra gasped and looked up, receiving a nod from the police chief. She understood. The Avatar dispelled her water column and placed herself in Lin's hands.

Lin used her metal cables like a slingshot and launched the Avatar out through the hole in the dome.

Korra shot through the air like an arrow toward the fleeing Equalists who hung from ropes below the airship. She landed behind the Lieutenant, grabbed his rope, and kicked it away. He plummeted through the air and landed with a thud atop the dome.

Abruptly, the rope shuddered in Korra's hands, and she realized the ropes were being pulled back into the belly of the ship. Most of the suspended chi blockers climbed their ropes, including Amon. Korra fired a jet of flames at the Equalist leader, but he dodged and pulled himself safely into the ship.

To Korra's left, a chi blocker swung toward her on his rope. She launched a burst of fire, but he skillfully spun around and avoided it. Korra's eyes widened as he raised his arm, revealing an Equalist gauntlet aimed directly at her.

Then a metal cable whipped through the air, ripping the chi blocker from his rope. Korra looked down to see Chief Beifong atop the dome, retracting the cable back into her armor.

Korra barely had time to recover before two more chi blockers descended and swung toward her. She charged at them with firebending, but they dodged her attacks, leaping over their ropes like acrobats.

The chi blockers advanced from opposite directions. Korra fought them off, spinning and kicking, unleashing a barrage of flames—but it was useless. They released their grips on the ropes, and all three fell, plummeting through the air.

The Avatar and the two chi blockers landed on the glass top of the arena dome with a thunderous impact.

The glass cracked and spiderwebbed beneath them—miraculously holding—but it fractured further with every movement Korra made. She spun to her feet and recomposed herself, positioning defensively as the chi blockers charged.