Winding Legacies: A 'The Legend of Korra' Rewrite

Episode 13: Venom of the Red Lotus Part 1

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Bumi sat up as Jinora's eyes flared open. "Did you find a way to escape?" he asked too excitedly. He had lost track of how long they had been chained to the floor of the dark tunnel and Jinora's was one of the last hopes he had.

"No, not yet. But don't worry, we'll find a way out soon." She debated with herself about whether or not to tell the others about what she had seen. The sight of Korra alone and squirming in those chains rattled her insides, she couldn't imagine how they'd free her if they couldn't even get out of these chains themselves.

Ikki and Tosi unfolded themselves from the meditative poses they had taken up to check on Opal and Kya's unconscious forms to their side. "There's about five different off-shoots just past that door," Tosi murmured lowly so the red-hooded guards watching over them wouldn't hear.

"The vines can lead us out of the mountain, but they sealed up all of the natural exits with stone so we're gonna need one powerful blast to get out of here," Ikki added as she turned to Jinora with a questioning glance. "Did you see if the voices that came by a while ago had Korra with them?"

Jinora's breath shortened. "I—"

"I think if we all work together we can manage the type of bending we'll need, but I'm worried these two might not make it to that point." They all looked to Daw as Bumi handed him another ripped piece of his robe so that he could bandage a gash on Kya's forearm. Wherever they had ended up had knocked them clean out and scratched them deeply wherever they had uncovered skin.

"Then we need to get out of these chains as soon as possible." Pema scooted closer to the group so that her voice wouldn't carry over the stillness in the room. "Tell them your idea, Meelo."

Brightening, Meelo set his brother back into his mother's arms and said, "We distract the guard, get his keys, and then take him down." His fist curled into his palm as a menacing look came over his face. Bumi creased his brows worriedly and covered his son's eyes, not wanting him to mimic any of the threatening energy that Meelo had.

"And how do you propose we do that, Meelo?"

"Watch and learn." Clearing his throat, Meelo struck his hand way up into the sky and loudly said, "I gotta go pee."

Ikki quickly joined, shouting, "I'm thirsty!"

"Me too," Tosi chimed in as he shot to his feet and began to wave his arms wildly for attention. As he continued to make a ruckus, Meelo leaned toward Jinora and quietly told her to cover the guard's eyes so they could get his keys.

Jinora nodded in acknowledgment as Pema said, "Please, sir. There are children and a baby here."

One of them sighed in exasperation and glanced at her partner. Gesturing for him to go get the water jug, her partner rushed off as she called back to them, "We'll bring water as long as you guys shut it." Tosi dropped to the ground like a fly and sent a hidden thumbs-up back to the others. So far, the plan was working well.

The second guard stumbled over with the water jug and two wooden cups in hand, teetering past the chained airbenders like they were going to jump up at any moment and swarm him. He stopped just shy of Bumi and Daw and set the cups on the ground. Pouring the water gently into the cups, he smiled thinly at each man, his eyes awkwardly shuffling between their tattered robes and the bandaged women beside them.

As he stood up, Jinora flicked her hand upward. A burst of wind blew up from her fingertips and flipped the bottom of his cape right over his head. Daw and Bumi frantically scanned the sides of his pants and before he could fix his robes, Bumi slipped a ring of keys out of his pocket. Smoothing down his cloak with rigid palms, the guard scowled. "So you just called me over to attack me? Fine! Now nobody gets any water." He stormed off, kicking over the cups he had just filled and dumping the water in the jug over Kya and Opal's bodies.