the legend of khione || korra

the darkest parts of a girl

KHIONE

In all of her worst nightmares, Khione had never dreamt of drowning. She was aware, in some part of her brain, that she needed to do something. But surrounded by warm, cradling water, Khione's limbs were so heavy, like they'd been draped with weights.

Some part of her urged her to surrender to the depths.

But the other part of her was screaming at her to fight. Memories floated in and out of the forefront of her mind. A memory of Korra, smiling like the sun. Asami, braiding her hair and painting their nails. Mako and Bolin, hugging their friends tightly, telling her that they would always be a team.

Something inside of Khione snapped.

She reached deep inside of her, pulling on that part of her that she had vowed never to use again, and with the last of her strength, forced her fingers to curl into a fist.

Vaatu roared in pain, as the sphere of water came crashing down, letting Khione free.

Khione fell to her hands and knees, heaving water from her lungs. She wanted to curl up on the ground and sleep for the next ten years, but she wasn't done just yet.

Khione staggered upright, her breathing rasping and ragged as she forced Vaatu to his knees, her expression unbearably cold as she bloodbent him. Her lungs were on fire, and she felt as if someone had stuck shards of glass down her throat. Every pained breath felt like metal scraping against her, but it was fury that kept her going. She thought of Jinora's unconscious body, all those rebels scarred by his hand, Korra's spirit being ripped from her body. 

She was doing this for them. She forced down that vile hatred that coursed through her body every time she bloodbent.

"You're a bloodbender," Vaatu gasped, real surprise and fear crossing his face.

Khione smiled grimly. She felt a twisted, giddy gladness at the pain in his eyes as she twisted her fingers. He deserved this.

Some part of her was sorry she hadn't done it sooner. Maybe if she had, she would've been able to stop him, but she'd been too scared that Unalaq or his children would've used it against her if they did manage to stop him. Maybe it was selfish, when there was so much on the line, but it was her choice to make. Khione knew the debilitating guilt and self-loathing would come later, but right now, she couldn't have cared less.

Until she met his eyes, and saw herself reflected in them. She looked utterly inhuman, her mouth a cruel, twisted line, her eyes dark and cold. She looked like she was enjoying his pain.

Khione felt horror flood her as her concentration broke, the raw power that she had summoned from her need to survive, flickered out. Instantly, Vaatu staggered upwards, his face twisted in anger. He summoned a huge wave, slamming Khione onto a rocky outcropping. She collapsed, exhaustion crawling deep in her bones. Her lungs, her throat were on fire, pain stabbing through her at every breath.

"I'll kill you later," He snarled, before turning his attention back to Korra. Raava was so close. So tantalisingly close to her.

He wrapped a stream of his water around Raava, before slamming it against the stone ground.

He raised his arm high above his head, striking the spirit with a water whip, again and again.

"No," Khione whispered helplessly, as Vaatu struck it for the final time, and the spirit of order disintegrated into golden dust.

Vaatu began to grow, his red marking glowing, his skin turning black, like his original spirit, until he was as tall as the sky.

Bolin hurried to Khione, holding her upright and Mako rushed to Korra. They all watched, eyes wide with horror as Vaatu straightened.