Chapter Text
As the canopy of the trees overhead grew denser, the light streaming in from above became scarcer. Though there technically was no sun or moon—no day or night—within the Spirit World, Korra had come to learn that this realm was much like the spirits themselves: while mostly filled with light, there were dark corners to be found. Even with the light that she carried within her as the Avatar, dark places would always exist. And Korra had never seen this one before.
She was drawn to it now by strange visions of familiar faces, ones that she recognized but couldn't quite place. The Spirit World was like that, always pulling her to places with the intent to show her something, and with all of her time spent exploring it she'd come to trust those feelings. Still, that didn't leave her with any less apprehension as she walked between the old and twisted trees. She hadn't seen a single person, spirit, or animal since she'd crossed the forest's threshold. Something about that wasn't right.
As it got darker, Korra extended her hand out in front of her, igniting a flame in her palm to cast light upon the trees. Shadows danced all around her with the flickering of the flame, almost disorienting her as they played with the corner of her eye. She stopped, hand pressed against the wood of an old tree, staring forward into the darkness, and then looked back over her shoulder. The light she had been so certain was just behind her was now gone, as though she'd somehow crossed into the center of the woods. The sudden silence and the stillness of the forest became suffocating.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," she muttered to herself softly. Korra's eyes wandered up the tree she leaned against, trying to gauge the height of it. The thick trunk was so tall that the nearest branches were more than a dozen feet above her head. Putting out the flame in her hand, Korra took a deep breath, crouched down, and then leapt upwards, bending the air around her to help her gain height. She grabbed onto the lowest hanging branch with both hands, swinging herself up onto it with a grunt of effort.
Even higher up as she was, there was no difference in lighting; the canopy was still towering above her, blotting out any light or view of the surrounding forest. Korra let out a breath, sparks flying from her mouth, flowing as a stream of fire and forming into an orb. She lifted her hand and directed the orb forward, lighting up the forest around her as she did, trying to get a more clear idea of a path.
She found one. But it was incredibly suspicious.
Some of the relatively smaller trees had broken trunks and missing branches, and the forest floor was littered with splinters, like the trees had been ripped apart from the inside out. All of the vines and undergrowth in that area were colored black and dark brown, shriveled and dried out. Korra briefly worried that the fire orb would set the area ablaze, and adjusted her makeshift lamp to draw away from the dry brush.
Hesitantly, she climbed forward on the tree's bough, willing the fire orb a bit further. Though this clearing had been hit the worst, there was evidence of yet more destruction leading into the trees.
Her instincts told her that following whatever had done this was clearly a bad idea, but as her gaze scanned the debris, a hushing wind suddenly broke the stillness. It blew in the direction of the path, and carried with it the sound of indistinct whispers. As the wind played with the orb of fire, it cast shapes all around the clearing, more familiar faces appearing in the shadows. When Korra blinked, the wind was gone, and so was the vision of faces.
She let out a soft sigh, and gave a rolling shrug with one shoulder. "Alright, Spirit World. You win. I'll follow your spooky ominous path through the woods if it'll make you happy." Korra made a bit of a pout before slipping off the branch, hands gripping the wood as she swung herself down. She summoned a whirlwind of air around her to slow her descent as she landed beside her burning orb.
Just as her feet touched the ground, Korra suddenly felt every muscle in her body seize. The fire orb dissipated, leaving her paralyzed in the dark. She growled, trying and failing to resist whatever was holding her in place, pain wracking her body as her limbs were pulled against their will. "What?!" She was barely able to get the word out through her gritted teeth.
Her body was lifted several inches, feet hovering above the ground, and she was drawn forward through the clearing towards the path of debris in the forest. Blinking rapidly, her eyes readjusted to the dark around her, shifting back and forth in terror as she tried to find the source of this awful power. She recognized what this was, though she wasn't sure how it was possible.
Once brought forward, Korra was forced down onto her knees, her back arching, arms twisting and locking into place behind her. She yelled in frustration, reflexes starting to kick in, instinctively reaching into herself for the Avatar State. She closed her eyes and resisted the urge, wanting to see exactly what—or in this case, who—she was up against before going for her last resort.
As she reopened her eyes, out from the shadows stepped someone who looked human, yet wholly alien. Their hands were stretched out in front of them, holding Korra down with a force she couldn't break. Their clothing was black and dark gray, a cowl covering their head and obscuring their face. The cowl was part of a cloak that draped around their body, ragged and tattered. Though almost every inch of them was covered, their hands remained bare—and as they got closer, Korra realized that they were covered in rope-like scar tissue, the skin red with burn marks.
"Who– are– you?!" Korra forced the question from her teeth, even as her face was locked tightly in place. The person holding her down didn't respond, instead circling her, sizing her up. Though she couldn't move, Korra could tell she still had them nervous, the person's fingers trembling. She let out a wheeze of a laugh, forcing the corner of her mouth into a grin. "You're afraid of me?" she spat. "Bloodbender?"
Korra's chest slammed forward into the ground, her face pressed into the dirt and leaves, arms twisting harder behind her. She let out a short cry of pain, but didn't let up on her words. "Do you know– who you're messing with?!"
The stranger let out a soft chuckle in response. "Oh, I know exactly who you are, Avatar."
Korra's eyes grew wide at the familiarity of the voice. There was no way in a million years she could ever forget the sound of it, not after she had heard it so often bellowing over crowds, churning threats over the radio, rendering her at the mercy of his followers.
"Amon?"
Though he brought his hands up to tug at his cowl, Korra's body remained rigidly in place. The psychic bloodbender was still able to keep her pinned down even without the use of his fingers. He pulled the hood back just slightly, revealing a mask underneath. It wasn't the same as his old one; this one had no markings on it, a plain white coat of paint on the ceramic. The mouth didn't curve into the slight grin it had before either, now just a straight line making it look expressionless. The mask’s eyes, however, were the ones she recognized: slanted, catlike, letting that sliver of his pupils shine through menacingly.
"How are you– what are you– doing here?" Korra grunted, eyes following him as he circled back around to stand in front of her.
"I could ask you the same question, Avatar." Amon squatted down in front of her, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Do you have any idea where you are?"
Korra didn't respond, just gritting her teeth and watching Amon carefully. She was nervous, all of those awful memories of what he'd done to her so many years ago flooding back all at once. But she was stronger now, too. Far stronger. If he tried to hurt her, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Amon seemed to notice that all she was thinking about was fighting, and he waved one hand dismissively. "I shouldn't be the one you're worried about. I'm the least dangerous thing in this forest."
Korra furrowed her brows. "What– do you mean?"
He leaned forward slowly, peering at her face, judging her expression. He looked confused. "... You really don't know?"
His concentration was suddenly broken by the sound of skittering legs within the treetops above. He stood up and looked over his shoulder for the source—breaking his hold on her just enough to give her movement to her neck.
Korra sucked in a deep breath, chest expanding as her lungs filled with air, before blowing out a blast of wind strong enough to knock Amon off his feet and send him flying ten feet backwards into a tree. Control returned to her body the instant his back hit the tree trunk, and she was up off the ground and running within seconds.
"Wait!!"
She could hear him shouting behind her as she ran, but she ignored him, running as fast as her legs would carry her to get away from him. As the vines grew thicker all around her, Korra began sending blasts of fire forward to burn them away, forcing a path deeper into the forest. His shouts quickly faded, but the skittering sound only grew louder.
The noise of far too many legs tapping against wood and winding their way through the branches above her set her on edge. No matter how fast she moved, blasting her way through the brush, even sending puffs of flame towards the creature, it gained on her. A deep cackle of laughter ripped through the trees as the creature bore down on her.
Korra caught a glimpse of a dark carapace peeking through the branches before the creature dived down in front of her suddenly, its body blocking her path. Korra's feet skidded as she stopped herself, falling down and scrambling backwards. In a panic, she sent up a flame from her palm to light the darkness around her. The centipede-like body surrounded her, coiling in close like a snake's as that sinister laugh echoed through the woods once more.
"Avatar. It's been so many years," the creature cooed at her. Korra couldn't tell the source of it, though she looked frantically for the monster's face. "Oh, no, don't look at me so soon! I want you to know who I am before I take you. It is so much more satisfying that way." The body coiled tighter, brushing against her back. She shuddered in horror and moved away from it.
"Who are you, spirit? What do you want from me?"
"Oh my, do you truly not remember me, Avatar? We've met many times before. Oh even your last life, it felt like it was only yesterday... But I suppose even still it was a past life. You've brought me yet another new face."
Last life...? Korra swallowed, racking her brain for an answer to what the spirit was talking about. Though she'd lost her connection to Aang years ago, she'd studied his adventures closely. Yet Aang's adventures to the Spirit World weren't so clear, given he had only ever gone alone and he had to relay those trips to his friends. What were the stories?
There was Hei Bai, who'd spirited away villagers in the Earth Kingdom. There was his visions with Avatar Roku, exploring Roku's past and receiving warnings of the future. There was his search for the Ocean and Moon Spirits, Tui and La…
'New face,' it had said…
Korra almost whispered her response as her eyes grew wide. "You're Koh... Koh the Face Stealer."
"Well done, Avatar!" Koh laughed and twisted around her excitedly. "You escaped me the last time we met, oh, but only just. This time, I have you!"
Korra only saw a glimpse of the creature's carapace descend upon her before she felt her body slam down into the ground. Everything went black.
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When Korra came to, she noticed with great relief that she could see. She could breathe, she could blink, she could sigh. She lay sprawled upon the forest floor, everything around her still dark. Sitting up and reaching out one hand, Korra felt her fingers brush against a stone wall. Her eyes followed up the wall, watching as it curved over her and stretched towards an unseen ceiling above the trees.
"This is Koh's Temple," a voice spoke up from across her.
Korra snapped her eyes to the person who spoke, gathering fire in her hands, ready to toss it their way.
The fire lit up Amon's strange figure sitting on the ground near her. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Avatar, if I’d wanted you dead, I would have left you at Koh's mercy."
Korra lowered her hands, but didn't put the fire out, breathing heavily with fear still planted in her chest.
Amon tilted his masked face at her. "If you want to start a fire and draw him back this way, be my guest. I, for one, am glad to be rid of him for the time being and would like to keep it that way."
With a growl, she closed her eyes and clenched her fists and the fires went out. "Fine. Have it your way." Opening her eyes again, she let them readjust to the low ambient light that somehow wound its way through the trees despite the cavern above them. Korra sat cross legged, leaning forward with an accusatory expression. "Why did you save me?"
"You're welcome," Amon said sarcastically, lowering his hands and readjusting himself to sit in a more relaxed position. "Does the Avatar always walk into unknown territory alone and looking for trouble?"
"Maybe the Avatar is perfectly capable of taking care of herself in the Spirit World." She pointed to herself with her thumb. "Bridge between the two worlds, remember? I would have been fine without your help!"
"Really? What would you have done, firebent at him blindly after he stole your face?"
"I was about to bring up an earth barrier to protect myself!"
"And then what?"
"I would have calmed myself down, put on an expressionless face, and walked out of here!"
Amon laughed at that, a loud and genuine laugh like that was the funniest thing he'd heard in years. "Oh I would have killed to see you try to keep a calm expression! I'm almost sorry that I rescued you now."
Korra growled, completely unamused by her enemy’s jests. But, to prove her point, she took a deep breath, sat upright, and relaxed the muscles in her face—the same way she did during meditation, only with her eyes open this time. She stared forward at Amon, blinking expressionlessly, and spoke in a steady, even tone. "I don't need your help."
He watched her with slow contemplation, before giving her a slight nod in response. "So. All I've heard about you is true, then. You've really changed since we last met, Avatar."
"And I'm more powerful than you," she answered coolly and evenly.
Amon gave her a curious look. "... Yes, I know. I couldn't take your bending, and even as a bloodbender I know your Avatar State can overpower me. Even now, now that I am no longer forced to keep it secret, I'm not half the bender I was four years ago." He held out one scarred hand to her. "Yet the image you have of me is still one of fear and anger."
Korra didn't change her expression, instead calmly pointing out a simple fact. "You're the one who's afraid, Amon. You pinned me down because you were scared. I could see your hands shaking."
Amon lowered his hand, tilting his head down to look at the ground before him.
The silence stretched out between them awkwardly, the tension so thick in the air Korra swore she could almost taste it. Then, after a while, Amon shuffled a bit, reaching into a knapsack that lay at his side. He pulled out another mask, a white one that was identical to his own, and tossed it to Korra. She caught it in her hands and looked it over, expression changing to one of confusion.
"You're good, but Koh is better. He's been stealing faces for thousands of years. He knows how to tease out emotions, especially from humans—so few humans have come to the Spirit World until recently that he hunts them down more ruthlessly than any other creature. Human faces are his favorite."
Korra looked from the mask back to Amon. "How do you know so much about him?"
Amon gestured to the caverns around them. "This temple has been my home for almost a year now. Koh is... an acquaintance of mine. We talk, keep each other company."
Korra scoffed at him. "You're friends with that monster?"
"Believe me, it isn't an enviable companionship. He's been trying to steal my face since I arrived."
"Hey, I'm not judging. Frankly, you guys deserve each other."
Amon just shook his head, ignoring her comment. "Put the mask on. There's no telling when he'll be back, and I'm afraid he's rather angry with me right now. Any meeting we have won't be a pleasant one."
Reluctantly, Korra pressed the cool ceramic over her face, tying it back behind her head. "This really works?" she asked, adjusting the mask and tightening the knot to hold it in place. It didn't quite fit, clearly made for Amon's face and not her own, but it would do.
Amon nodded. "It's how he plays his game. So long as Koh can't see your expression, he cannot take your face. His fond nickname for me is 'Cheater.'"
Korra looked back at Amon, responding mockingly, "I guess all those years hiding behind a mask have really paid off."
Amon didn't say anything, going silent once again. He wasn't even looking back at her anymore, staring off into space in thought like she didn't even exist. What? Had she offended him?
Korra sighed softly, asking with a more calm and serious tone, "Why are you helping me?"
He didn't move, and Korra wasn't sure if he'd simply not heard her or if he was perhaps just ignoring her now. Just as she was about to get his attention, he interrupted her with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Of all the questions I'm sure you want to ask me, Avatar, that is the one I don't have an answer to."
Korra frowned at him, though even if he were looking at her now he couldn't see it. "You've changed, too," she said quietly. "What... happened to you? What happened to Tarrlok? Everyone assumed you two escaped together, that you went into hiding. Some people even rumored that you were–"
"Tarrlok is dead." Amon's words were sharp, cutting through her own words like a knife. "My brother... he's dead."
Korra was stunned into silence. Wow. Uh. What was she supposed to really say to that? She couldn't even gauge what emotions Amon was feeling right now—his voice was thick with obvious pain, but she wasn't sure what kind. Still, it drew sympathy from within her. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." He fixed his gaze back on her. "Tarrlok tried to kill us both. He killed himself. I got away."
Korra hissed a bit as she drew her breath in. "I... I'm so sorry, Amon." She winced and then asked gently, slowly, "... Noatak?"
Though his expression was mostly hidden, his eyes grew cold. "Amon died the day you exposed me. Noatak died with Tarrlok."
Korra swallowed roughly. "Then... who exactly are you supposed to be?"
The man before her let out a bitter laugh. "A dead man walking," he said quietly. "I'm not anyone anymore. I'm not even sure who I really was to begin with. Amon was my name for far longer than Noatak was. I was a non-bender, a waterbender, a bloodbender – I was the son of a farmer, the son of a crime boss – I was a factory worker, a chi blocker, a revolutionary leader. My masks were always more real to me than what was hidden underneath, but no amount of lying could change the truth of what I was…"
It was Korra's turn to be silent, watching him, gauging him. She’d always known that Amon was twisted, but she had never really tried to understand him. He'd been right about her—she still saw the man she’d defeated four years ago, that old image of him burned into her brain. But she knew better, now, that while she couldn't necessarily forgive or forget her enemies, she couldn't keep carrying them with her either. Korra had suffered a pain beyond anything previously imaginable... and she could tell, Amon had suffered, too—was still suffering, even now.
After a long minute, Korra leaned forward, asking softly, "Why are you here in the Spirit World, in Koh's lair?"
"No," Amon responded almost instantly. "No, it's... it's a long story, and I'm not very keen on sharing it."
Korra clenched her fists slightly. "Please? I want to know."
Amon narrowed his eyes at her, scrutinizing her, trying to judge the sincerity in her voice. Though he couldn't see her expression, Korra's body language remained open, eyes wide with sympathy behind the mask. With a heavy sigh, and a relaxing of all of the tense muscles in his body, he waved one hand in defeat. "Fine. I'll tell you. I suppose I really have nothing more to lose..."