The Only Hope

Book 3: Chapter 10

“I say we make our approach from the west, drop down from the airship on cables, and ambush these Red Lotus low-lives before they know what hit them.”

Lin shook her head.

“It will never work. That Combustion Lady will pick us off one by one.”

“You have a better idea on how to save the air benders?”

“Yeah. We come up from the valley, scale the side of the mountain and take them off guard.”

“That could work” Tonraq gave his two yin, to which Su shook her head no to.

“And give them the high ground? No, if their lava bender spots us, he'll melt the mountainside and us with it.”

“Wait, I've got it. I'll disguise myself as a lost hiker, and once I'm in the temple, I'll distract the Red Lotus with my bird calls. That's when you all strike.”

No one said anything, but they all looked at Bolin. Mako gave his brother a look.

“Bird calls, really?”

“Well I haven't noticed you offering any suggestions.”

“It doesn't matter. None of these ideas will work. The second Zaheer realizes we're up to something, he'll wipe out the air benders.” Korra was the first one to have a logical point.

“And Opal is one of those air benders. Believe me; I understand what's at stake.”

“Then I'll think you agree that the only plan that will work is for me to give myself up.”

“What-”

“Korra, no.”

“We'll figure out another way.”

Protest came from Mako, Lin and then Tonraq, though who was he to blame? He only wanted to protect his daughter.

“Why not just do it? Split up and hit them from both sides.”

Everyone turned, suddenly, to the voice in the corner. The group at the table was silent, as the figure pushed off from the wall. Stepping forward slightly, their outfit was revealed.

Knee-high brown boots

Persimmon-orange opaque legging

An amber top- which was simply twisted and wrapped around the body twice before being tied behind the neck

It was no shock to any of them that the wear’s stomach was exposed by the crop-top but what stuck out the most- was the cape. It was rosso corsa; the most beautiful shade of red, the hood was loose but hung just far enough to hide the wearer’s hair.  The surprise was when the hood fell. It fell past their shoulders, revealing that it was sewn into the amber top- just below her armpits.

“What? Did you all honestly think you could keep me locked up in that office? Psh- I don’t think so.”

~~~

The door to the office close, and the floor that I sat on hummed slightly from the engines below it. The air ship was taking off; we were on our way to save Tenzin and the air benders.

They were all gone… but not all of them… there was still hope. And where there is hope there is a fight.

We had Su’s army in toll. I knew they were attempting to form a plan elsewhere in the ship. They had put me in the office so that I could “calm down”. In all reality I was sure my grandfather spoke with them, most likely telling them to lock me up for my own good. I would be no good flying off solo to four of the deadliest criminals around.