The Avatar's Master

29. Heart of Gold

Rather than a cave at the center of the mountain, Kuvira had expected to meet Avatar Kyoshi's spirit in the Hall of Avatars. Had she not listened, she may have missed the spirit of the previous Earth Avatar.

The cave was dank and craggy with stalactites and stalagmites protruding from the floors and ceiling. They were illuminated by Kyoshi's spirit, a blue light reflective of the sky, and she seemed at once firmly planted yet floating.

"You finally made it," Kyoshi said.

Kuvira bowed deeply. There were few she would show this much respect to, but the last incarnation of the Earth Avatar was one of the most powerful in recorded history.

"Avatar Kyoshi. It's an honor to—"

"Save the formalities. There's not much time before the Harvest Moon. I've been trying to reach you since you and Korra left the Spirit World. Though had I, you would not be where you are now."

Kuvira didn't understand what Kyoshi meant by that but responded to what she could: "My apologies, I misunderstood the message. I didn't think we could communicate until the night of the harvest moon. So, why not reach out to Korra? Or Jinora?"

"Jinora's spiritual powers are strong, but she doesn't see all. She's known of the harvest moon but doesn't realize the significance. And Avatar Korra shut herself off from her spiritual side. Darkness threatens to consume her, making her a threat to herself and the world."

"Is that not all Avatars? If they aren't a help, then they're invariably a threat," Kuvira retorted, a hint of her old self speaking uncomfortable truths. A person with so much power is a frightening creature, and Kuvira had witnessed it in Korra on more than one occasion. Moreover, she had observed it in herself.

Kyoshi's headpiece a golden fan, glinted in a stalactite as she spoke, her white and red makeup masking her expression. "To take no action can be seen as a form of betrayal. Korra's wrestling with something no Avatar has dealt with before – she embodies both the dark and light spirits – Raava and Vaatu. But she's locked it away inside of her, and now she betrays herself."

It took a minute for what Kyoshi said to sink in, and Kuvira stood there pensively before replying: "Korra told me she was going through something, that she couldn't – wouldn't go into the Avatar state, but I didn't know why." Kuvira suddenly felt selfish for not probing her friend on the matter when she had the chance, for being too self-involved to truly listen when Korra was trying to tell her.

"There's no need to feel guilt. Korra wasn't ready to tell you – she could hardly accept it herself, which makes her vulnerable; her identity is fractured, her spirit shrouded. What's more, there are people – a group of influential men toying with powers they have no business messing with. They think the world exists for their amusement, that nature and spirits are theirs for the manipulating with no regards to balance." Kyoshi kept her stern gaze on Kuvira without wavering.

Kuvira recalled how she, in her own crazed quest to create a totally unified Earth Empire, had harvested spirit vines relentlessly from the banyan grove. She recoiled in shame and then shook it off, realizing she couldn't take back what she had done, though she had no desire to ever do that again.

"I was like that," Kuvira admitted.

Kyoshi nodded knowingly. "The Spirits are forgiving, but only if you've truly changed. They can sense your energy. That's why you were able to move about in the Spirit World freely without being driven to madness."

"And thanks to Korra guiding me... So why me? What am I going to do? I'm a nonbender now. And a fugitive."

"You are one of few who can stop her. You're not afraid to make the hard decisions and will do what's necessary for the greater outcome."