Fire in the Sky (TLOK)

Chapter 30: Let's Start Again

There was a silence. No one knew what to do. Tenzin looked up to the sky. Not his daughter, no, not his daughter. Kya had checked her pulse.

"I-It's still there," she said stubbornly, "I-I know it is!"

Korra gently shook Yuki's shoulder. It was limp, stiff, her head lolled to the side. "Hey," Tears were brimming in her eyes, "Hey, you can't go yet. I made it back... so should you!"

Desna sat on the other side, loosely holding Yuki's hand. No one had pushed him away from the crowd that surrounded Yuki. The other waterbending lady, he heard someone call her Kya, she had caught him sneaking a kiss onto Yuki's forehead. Maybe she understood, he didn't know. As a matter of fact, he didn't know what to do with himself. He hadn't felt this way in a while, not since his mother's passing many, many years ago.

Desna counted the seconds, fearing as they turned into minutes. He was nearing four minutes, looking out to the sky, hoping for something to appear, anything.

Three minutes and fifty seconds

Three minutes and fifty-one seconds

Three minutes and fifty-two seconds

Three minutes and fifty-three seconds

Three minutes and fifty-four seconds

Three minutes and fifty-five seconds

Three minutes and fifty-six seconds

Three minutes and fifty-seven seconds

Three minutes and fifty-eight seconds

Three minutes and fifty-nine-

"UP THERE!" Tenzin's voice was loud, he pointed to the sky with a desperate hand, "THERE'S SOMETHING THERE!"

Everyone looked up. A blue streak of light was approaching them. Tenzin pushed everyone away from his daughter. They all stepped back as it descended down. With a faint whistling sound, it made impact with Yuki's chest, colliding so hard that her body jerked up.

The blue light faded, leaving the still lifeless body of Yuki. Everyone waited with bated breath. Timidly, Aunt Kya reached for her wrist, trying to search for a pulse.

"Come on, sweetie," she bowed her hand, clutching onto her niece's wrist, "come back!"

Desna sat a few feet away right next to his sister. Despite her cold demeanor, Eska placed a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder. In Desna's hands were Yuki's abandoned arm bands, and a necklace he had found on the floor. Somehow the jewel had survived the chaos. Not even a scratch in sight. He traced over the design, thinking of praying. But to who? He did not know.

"Snowstar," Desna murmured; no one could hear him, but he hoped it would reach her, "I have my answer. I need you to hear it. So please, come back."

~~~

I felt cold. There was no light. I couldn't tell if I was blinking because the darkness had consumed me. I wished for it to be warmer. The cold had a numbing effect, leaving me suspended in the abyss. I wanted to feel afraid, but I was left in silent terror, no way to cry, no way to escape.

I tried to remember who was waiting for me, who might be able to come get me. I didn't even know where I was. I had a mother, a father, two sisters and two brothers. I had friends, more than I thought I would. I couldn't leave! And yet...