Maintaining the Balance

In the days following her attempted kidnapping, Korra was moved around several times before ultimately ending up at a secret compound near the northwestern coast of the South Pole. There, she was expected to master the arts of Water and Fire Bending before relocating to Air Temple Island to study and master Air Bending. According to the original plan, Korra would have started training shortly after reaching her new home. Instead, she was given two months to get used to the facilities while Katara organized her brother's funeral and helped to settle his private affairs. Prior to his death, Sokka had touched many lives and accomplished many things. He was the son of the Southern Water Tribe's Head Chieftain, the tactician and confidant of Avatar Aang, the only male ever to be accepted into the Kyoshi Warriors, Chairman of the United Republic Council, Justice of the Republic City Supreme Council, Grandmaster of the Sokka School of Swordsmanship, Trade Commissioner of the Southern Water Tribe, and, most importantly, father to four equally impressive children. Though most of Sokka's relationships ended before he was thirty, the few years he was 'active' had earned him quite the reputation. He was known to have wooed the First Princess of the Northern Water Tribe, and, a few years after the conclusion of the Hundred Year War, he ended up getting two different women pregnant at the same time. While many accused Sokka of being a womanizer in his youth, the women he had been involved with never resented him. The thing that ended their relationship with Sokka was his insuppressible desire to make the world a better place. He was married to his work, so, shortly after the founding of Republic City, all three of his lovers pushed him to focus on his work while they focused on caring for their children. Upon learning of Sokka's death, each of his former lovers, children, and grandchildren showed up to mourn and honor him. This included Suki, the Grand Matron of the Kyoshi Warriors, Ty Lee, the person single-handedly responsible for spreading Chi Blocking through the Kyoshi Isles, and First Princess Yue, Sokka's first love. Accompanying their mothers were Suki's son, Ty Lee's twins, and Yue's daughter. Each was well in their forties, and, as a result, they had already had children of their own. Thus, while Sokka had spent the better part of forty years as a bachelor, the number of people that had gathered to see him laid to rest numbered in the dozens. He was a well-loved and respected man, someone that had influenced and enriched the lives of countless people before his honorable death... ... .. . In an effort to increase his Chi reserves and improve his focus, Kahn was meditating within the refurbished prison cell afforded to him by the Order of the White Lotus. The secretive society still didn't trust him, so while the funeral arrangements of Chief Sokka were going on, he was held in loose captivity in the same compound as Korra. Unfortunately, while Kahn's room was previously used to confine political prisoners, the Order of the White Lotus removed the reinforced wooden door as a show of good faith. Some might consider this a good thing as it allowed Kahn to come and go as he pleased. What such people failed to consider was that it also allowed Korra to do the same. "Kaaaahn~! Come play with me~!" After the novelty of exploring a new place had worn off, Korra immediately grew bored. Since Kahn was the only other kid living in the compound, he was the obvious and only choice for a playmate. He was a little weird, but Korra had a lot of fun playing with and bugging him. Thus, every morning, she would wake up, wash her face, and eat breakfast before immediately running over to interrupt his meditation. Exhaling a sigh, Kahn opened his mouth to find Korra obediently standing outside his doorway. She used to come charging in, but, after an incident where she kicked him in the face, he managed to convince her they would no longer play together if she kept barging in and acting aggressively. At first, she didn't believe him, so Kahn ended up disappearing for the better part of two and a half days. After that, she no longer barged into his room without permission. Instead, she stood outside and pestered him until he came out of his own accord. "Come oooon~! You don't need to wash your face! It's just going to get dirty again...!" Ignoring the hyperactive girl's cries, Kahn took his sweet time washing his face and brushing his teeth with a special rubber toothbrush before finally coming outside. By the time he emerged, Korra had plopped down next to the entryway in a huff. She hated being ignored, so it always bothered her when Kahn went about his morning routine in such a casual manner. Staring down at the pouty little troublemaker, Kahn's expression remained calm as he asked, "Is this your way of getting even? You want to make me wait for you...?" Snorting through her nose, Korra crossed her arms and averted her face to the side without responding to Kahn's question. What she didn't expect was for him to plop down next to her, muttering, "Fine with me..." before closing his eyes and resting his head against the wall. With her left eye twitching, Korra bumped Kahn with her shoulder before pouncing to her feet, pointing at him, and shouting, "I bet you don't even want to play with me! That's it, isn't it!?" Rising to his feet, Kahn took a moment to dust himself off before staring directly at the slightly shorter girl and answering, "If I didn't want to play with you, I wouldn't. Like you, I just prefer to go at my own pace. Now, are we going to play, or are we going to keep wasting time?" Balling her hands into a fist, Korra attempted to slug Kahn in his right arm. Instead, she ended up striking his palm as Kahn stepped back, a teasing smile on his face as he asked, "Oh? Are we sparring...?" With an adorably grumpy expression on her face, Korra's response was to step forward, her feet briefly squaring before she placed all of her weight onto her right heel. Her hips twisted, and, in the same motion, she raised her left foot in a stunning display of flexibility that briefly brought it above her head before cutting towards Kahn's in a whipping motion. Even without a teacher, Korra was a martial arts prodigy. The technique she used was called a Whipping Side Kick. Did Korra know that? No. She just wanted to kick Kahn in the head, so she moved her body in a way that would allow her to achieve her objective. Her movements were natural to the point of instinctive. Unfortunately, though she would later come to appreciate it, Korra wasn't the only prodigy present in the confined hallway. Kahn may not have the personal memories and experiences of his Creator, but he had knowledge regarding tens of thousands of martial arts hardcoded into his memory. If Korra's actions were purely instinctive, his were automated to the point of mechanical precision. Stepping in behind Korra's leg, Kahn placed himself in a position where the pit of her leg would collide against his shoulder before thrusting out his left hand to grab her wrist. The first action allowed him to negate the power behind Korra's kick, while the second prevented her from regaining her balance. She still had the option of trying to twist her body away from him, but Kahn would just need to step forward to interrupt the motion and pin her head against the ground. "Grrrr-! Let go of me...!" As he had during most of their spars, Kahn immediately released Korra the moment she told him to. Not because she had asked, but because he knew it would bother her. She was a very competitive person, so the more leniency he showed her, the more aggressive she would become. In time, however, this aggression would peter out. Kahn just needed to be patient. Stepping away from Kahn, Korra raised her hands in an instinctive fighting posture before; her feet squared in a manner that would allow her to use both Water and Earth Bending if she really wanted to. Mustering the kind of bravado that could only be seen in young children and excessively spoiled members of the nobility, Korra adopted a serious expression as she stated, "Today is the day I defeat you, Kahn! And when I do, you'll have to let me into your room whenever I want!" Without offering Kahn the opportunity to issue his own terms, Korra raised her left foot before stomping it into the ground. A piece of the stone floor shot up to around chest level before she subsequently punched out with her right fist. If an ordinary person were to strike a piece of stone, they would injure both their hand and knuckles. When an Earth Bender struck it, however, it shot forward with sometimes lethal, often bone-breaking force. Though he should have reminded Korra she wasn't supposed to use her Bending indoors, Kahn didn't really care for the Order of the White Lotus' rules. His purpose in the Actualized World of Avatar was to ensure Korra was allowed to grow up free and uninhibited by the constraints of society. He might prevent her from entering into his room and pestering him first thing in the morning, but that was more of a personal matter. Side-stepping the melon-sized piece of stone, thick black smoke began to exude from Kahn's hands as he dodged Korra's follow-up attacks. By the time she had backed herself up against the wall at the far end of the corridor, more than half of the hall was filled with a nebulous, almost ink-like smoke. "Kahn? You're scaring me..." Though he was tempted to teach Korra a lesson by shaping the smoke into ethereal, demonic-looking wolves, Kahn immediately dissipated the smoke when he heard her uncharacteristically meek appeal. He had no problem teaching Korra a lesson, but he didn't want to traumatize her. "Sorry about that. I thought, as the Avatar, you could deal with a bit of smoke. After all, you are a Firebender..." Calming down after the terrifying smoke had vanished, Korra's radiant blue eyes lit up as she asked, "That was Firebending? Teach it to me!" Instead of responding to Korra's outburst, Kahn just stared at her with his usual, borderline deadpan expression. Fortunately, Korra wasn't nearly as obtuse as some may think. In fact, when it came to getting something she wanted, she was remarkably quick on the uptake. Understanding what Kahn expected of her, Korra forced a smile as she brought her hands together in an ingratiating manner and asked, "Will you please teach me how to bend smoke...?" After nodding his head in approval, a faint smile developed across Kahn's face as he answered, "Well, since you asked so politely, it would be rude of me to refuse. Come, let's find a nice open space to practice. Until you master the basics, you should never, ever use Smokebending indoors. I'll explain the reason once we get outside." Following his words, Kahn turned to lead the way outside when Korra, as per usual, attempted a sneak attack. After their very first spar, Kahn had encouraged her to attack him whenever she felt like this. This ultimately led to him getting kicked in the face, but, so long as he wasn't in a deep state of meditation or exploring the Spirit World, it wasn't too difficult to deal with the surprise attacks of a five-year-old... Demonstrating this, Kahn casually side-stepped and spun around Korra before giving her a gentle kick in the rump. This caused her to stumble forward, but instead of face-planting into the ground, Korra managed to tuck her head in and perform a flawless somersault. In terms of spatial awareness and innate martial prowess, Korra was a genuine prodigy...

"He's just been...playing with her?"
After returning from taking care of her brother's funeral, the first thing Katara wanted to know about was the mysterious boy, Kahn.
Before her departure, Katara had told the members of the White Lotus to let Kahn do as he pleased so long as he didn't try to take Korra away from the compound. Her decision made the other Elders apprehensive, but, as someone who had journeyed alongside and married an Avatar, Katara had a much better understanding of fate/destiny than them.
Nodding her head in response to Katara's question, Senna had a fretful expression on her face as she explained, "Korra seems quite...taken with him. She used to be very difficult in the mornings. Now, she often comes to wake me up so I can cook breakfast for her. After that, she runs off to play with Kahn and doesn't return until late in the afternoon."
"I see...and what kind of games do they play? I trust you check on them frequently?"
With a wry smile on her face, Senna answered, "I did in the beginning, but Korra kept complaining about how I was embarrassing her..."
Having raised three children, two of which were remarkably independent from a very early age, Katara couldn't help chuckling. However, as Korra was a notorious troublemaker even before her contact with Kahn, Katara didn't want to focus on it. Instead, she redirected the conversation back to the subject of games, asking, "I imagine Korra at least tells you what they play together, correct? She doesn't strike me as the type of child to keep secrets."
Nodding her head for the umpteenth time, Senna explained, "From what I have seen and heard from Korra directly, they play whatever she feels like playing. The thing that worries me is that Kahn actively encourages her to incorporate bending into their games. I've seen her propelling balls of fire and rocks the size of her head at him. He is able to dodge everything she throws at him, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before she seriously injures or kills someone..."
Blinking in surprise, Katara asked, "You're not concerned about Korra...?"
Shaking her head, Senna regained her wry smile as she answered, "I was in the beginning. However, after bringing up my concerns with one of the Firebending Masters, he told me that Kahn's control is unlike anything he has ever seen. He's only six years old, but he has mastered virtually every form of Firebending. Some of his techniques, such as Blast Bending, have never even been heard of..."
Though it was a little difficult to imagine a six-year-old exhibiting such an extreme degree of mastery over their element, Katara's expression didn't reveal the shock in her heart. If Kahn was who, or, more accurately, what he claimed to be, it made sense.
"I see...it sounds to me like our young Avatar friend is helping Korra in her training. Given Korra's personality, I can't imagine her responding well to a more structured lesson plan. Disguising her lessons as games makes a lot of sense considering her competitive and ostentatious nature..."
As she had been planning to try something similar, Katara could easily see through Kahn's intentions. There was no way Korra could ever sit still and listen to someone lecture her about the principles behind bending. Maybe when she was older, but certainly not now.
Rising to her feet with a grunt of exertion, Katara gestured for Senna not to worry as she asked, "Where do the two of them usually play together? I would like to see it for myself."
Though she was a little concerned that Katara might overexert herself, Senna answered, "Kahn had Korra create a ring and a field of pillars near the south-western corner of the compound. If they're not there, the only other place I can think to check is the north-eastern corner. Kahn built a treehouse there to serve as their secret base. Based on what you and the other Masters have speculated, I'm pretty sure he built it there in order to improve Korra's stamina. They often race from one corner to the other..."
Imagining the scene of Korra and Kahn chasing each other through the large, military-style compound, Katara couldn't help smiling. She hadn't vocalized it at the time, but she was actually in agreement with Tonraq that his daughter deserved a normal childhood. Keeping a young girl in a military installation and forcing her to train every day was an injustice. If Kahn hadn't shown up, Korra would have lived a very sheltered existence without anyone her age to play with, only much older training partners.
"It would appear our young friend's concerns for Korra are genuine. I'm looking forward to meeting him..."
Smiling wryly in response to Katara's words, Senna resisted the urge to disagree with her. Kahn was a very polite boy whenever they met, but his level of maturity made Senna uncomfortable. Though Korra seemed to be the one to decide what they did throughout the day, Senna couldn't shake the feeling Kahn was discreetly manipulating her. He was already the only person Korra talked about, and while that made sense considering he was her only playmate, Senna was worried that Kahn would one day choose to leave the compound. When that happened, Senna was almost certain that Korra would follow after him...
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Giving credence to Senna's concerns, Kahn was currently reading a book while the tuckered out Korra used his lap as a pillow. Most of the games they played were highly physical and, more importantly, Chi exhaustive. The White Lotus compound was also around 0.8km from corner to corner, so Korra was thoroughly exhausted by the time they reached their secret, constantly monitored hideout.
Since his Creator had blessed him with functionally unlimited stamina, Kahn didn't need to sleep. Instead, he spent his idle time meditating and exploring the Spirit World. He wanted to take care of a few things before Korra started her spiritual journey, so, with upwards of fourteen hours a day of free time, Kahn divided his focus between preparing for the future and gathering knowledge.
Though the world had recently entered an era of industrialization, there was no standardized schooling. Only the wealthy and the upper class were allowed to attend the various academies dotting the Four Nations. Everyone else just focused on their family's respective trade or tended to crops in the frontier regions. Just gaining access to books and scrolls was difficult, so, taking advantage of the fact he was in a facility belonging to the most powerful and secretive society in the world, Kahn was brushing up on his knowledge.
Feeling a wet sensation, Kahn was broken from his reverie. An annoyed grimace developed across his face, but upon looking down to find Korra drooling on his leg, it quickly faded. She could be extremely troublesome to deal with while awake, but she was pretty cute while sleeping.
Setting aside his book, Kahn checked the time by observing the angle of the Sun before poking Korra's remarkably squishy cheek, threatening, "If you don't stop drooling on me, I'm going to make your outie an innie..."
Though she attempted to ignore Kahn's prodding, Korra was eventually forced awake when he pinched her nostrils. She had a habit of breathing through her nose and snoring very loudly, so she would always wake up very quickly when her nostrils were obstructed.
Sitting up, Korra had a grumpy expression on her face as she rubbed her eyes and sleepily inquired, "What do you want, Kahn? Can't you see I was trying to sleep...?"
Instead of answering Korra's question, Kahn pointed to the sizeable wet spot on his left thigh. Korra followed his finger with her eyes, but, instead of apologizing, she animatedly inquired, "Did you pee yourself...!?" before bursting into laughter and adding, "Kahn is a big baby~! Waaah~! Waah~! Waaah~!"
"..."
Ignoring Korra's provocations, Kahn placed his hand over the stain before using his Firebending to dissipate it. Korra immediately took notice of this, her laughter ceasing as she sat up straight and eagerly inquired, "You can use Firebending to get rid of pee stains? Teach me how...!"
Though he was tempted to get even by asking Korra why she would need such a technique, Kahn jumped to his feet to grab a cloth and a large vase filled with water. Korra had a habit of throwing a tantrum and storming off whenever she felt embarrassed or upset, so Kahn never took her words to heart. He may have been created just a few months ago, but he had tens of thousands, if not more, years of knowledge and information stored in his mind. If he allowed a five-year-old to get under his skin, he would be the one embarrassed.
Carrying the large vase over, Kahn placed it right in front of Korra before sitting across from her. Then, before she could ask what he was doing, he began explaining the water cycle, specifically evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
What most Benders didn't realize, primarily because they made minimal effort to understand it, was that each of the Elements shared the same origin. Bending was the process of manipulating Chi within the body and the surrounding environment. So long as you understood the process, it was possible to Bend every single element. It was just a little convoluted unless you had the appropriate affinity.
By infusing his Chi into the vase, Kahn was able to convert the contents into water vapor through evaporation. Then, before the shocked eyes of Korra, he manipulated it to form a small cloud above the vase's opening. From the perspective of most people, this would undoubtedly qualify as a form of Waterbending. In reality, Kahn was simply manipulating the Chi he had infused within the cloud of vapor. So long as he didn't let it dissipate, he could emulate Waterbending through an exceptionally advanced form of Firebending known as Steambending...
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Though she was eager to meet and converse with both of the children, the first thing Katara did after learning about Korra's and Kahn's location was head to one of the observation towers that kept a close watch on the pair's secret hideout. Kahn had installed large, open windows on the sides of the structure, so, from a higher vantage, it was easy to see the interior.
Seeing Kahn manipulate the water within the vase, Katara would be lying if she said she wasn't a little agitated. Based on what Kahn had revealed, he was a pure Firebender. To that end, his ability to Bend water vapor to form a cloud must be an aspect of Firebending. She just didn't understand how.
Lowering her binoculars, Katara softly remarked, "What a truly fascinating child. Though there is a disparity in power, his control over the element of fire is comparable to Aang's when he was in the Avatar State. Young Kahn may very well be the greatest Firebender in the world..."
While she was tempted to call Kahn the greatest natural Bender, that title belonged to one of Katara's, or, more accurately, Toph's former comrades. The man had pioneered several forms of Earthbending by the time he was a mere eight years old. Were it not for the fact he was a remarkably gentle person; there was a genuine possibility he could have ended the hundred-year war on his own.
"Master Katara...?"
Noticing Katara staring off into space with a pensive expression on her face, Senna couldn't help breaking the silence. When Katara came back to her senses, she offered a grandmotherly smile and said, "We should leave them be for now. I was always of the mindset that five years old is far too early to begin serious training. Since Korra seems to be enjoying herself, I say we let Kahn continue teaching her until she is around seven or eight. Who knows, by then, she may be the one teaching her Masters..."
Recalling how monstrously powerful Toph had been under the tutelage of her mentor-turned-husband, a perceptive glimmer flashed across Katara's eyes as she returned her attention to the young Kahn. She wasn't entirely sure, but her intuition told her the young Avatar of Fire and Absolution had something to do with her former colleague...

After confirming the safety of his wife and daughter, Tonraq convened with Tenzin and Zuko to discuss their next plan of action. Among them, it was Fire Lord Zuko who took charge, explaining, "Of the twenty-three Sentries assisting in the Avatar's escort, seventeen have succumbed to their injuries. We severely underestimated just how much of a threat the members of the Red Lotus were."
Seeing Sokka's body among those who had died, the expressions of all three men, Tenzin more so than any other, were grim. Sokka was his uncle and, while he may have been seventy-four years old, it didn't feel right for him to succumb to a surprise attack.
"Mother is going to be devastated..."
Placing his hand on Tenzin's shoulder, Tonraq was going to say something to try and console him when the young boy from earlier, Kahn, said, "If he was given the option, I'm sure Chief Sokka would rather die protecting his family and friends than in a bed. Grieve if you must. However, so long as a single person carries his will, Chief Sokka will never truly die..."
Using his head and eyes, Kahn drew Tenzin's, Zuko's, and Tonraq's gazes toward the sleeping Korra. Once things started to calm down, she quickly fell asleep. As a result, Senna was currently cradling the young Avatar in her arms with a heavy yet motherly smile on her face.
"It is the responsibility of the generations ahead to blaze a trail for those that follow. These men and women were warriors who died believing in a cause far greater than themselves...now, it is our turn to bear the torch of the present. If we allow ourselves to get caught up in the past, there is no future...only remorse..."
Speaking on behalf of everyone present, Zuko asked, "Just who are you? I heard about you from Master Tonraq, but I find it difficult to believe that a second Avatar could exist. And your Creator, this Sage Dragon Emperor. I have neither read nor heard of a being bearing such a name or title..."
Smiling in response to the elderly man's words, Kahn mused, "As vast as your knowledge is, I can assure you, Fire Lord Zuko, there is far more you don't know. For one, this is not the only planet in existence. There are tens of trillions of inhabitable worlds beyond this one. If you can name even a single one of them, sans the Spirit World, I will share with you the secrets of the Universe..."
Understanding that Kahn was effectively calling him ignorant, Zuko's expression became sullen. In his fifty-eight years as Fire Lord, he had never once experienced being talked down to by a child. Fortunately, at least compared to his younger self, he was considerably more patient.
"While it is true that I cannot deny your words, the burden of proof falls to the person making a claim. Can you demonstrably prove the existence of these trillions of worlds? At this point, even your status as an Avatar is up for debate."
Though it didn't earn him any brownie points with the codgerly Fire Lord, Kahn made a show of rolling his eyes before rising to his feet and saying, "There is no meaning to this kind of discussion. This world has more than enough problems without concerning itself with the truth of the Universe. Most of you can't even enter the Spirit World of your own accord..."
Shaking his head, Kahn directed his attention to the man that had been driving the vehicle carrying Senna and Korra. Not every member of the Order of the White Lotus was a Bender. Benders only made up between 10-12% of the global population, so it wasn't uncommon for organizations to assign ordinary citizens to logistics and support roles.
"This should shut you up. And no, I won't be doing this again unless I feel like it."
Ignoring the gazes of the trio of men, Kahn sauntered his way over to the visibly shaken member of the White Lotus before surprising everyone in earshot by asking, "Would you like to become a Firebender?"
Though he was surprised that the kid everyone was talking about had come up to speak with him, the driver didn't even need to consider his response, answering, "If I had the option...yes..."
"Thanks, that makes things a lot easier for me."
Without explaining further, Kahn took advantage of the fact that the man was seated to place the tips of his index and middle fingers on the man's forehead and chest. A vibrant white light glowed at the points of contact. From the driver's perspective, a sensation akin to a warm shower washed over him, instantaneously overpowering the sub-zero temperatures of the South Pole.
When the light faded away, Kahn retracted his hands, a supportive smile on his face as he said, "Take it slow. Firebending, especially in the wrong hands, is one of the more dangerous Bending Arts. Start by imagining a flame as small as a candle at the tips of your fingers. Once you're able to make the flame dance between your fingers, you're ready to move on to more advanced techniques..."
Rather than simply explaining things, Kahn produced a tiny flame at the tip of his thumb before making it leap between his remaining digits. After that, he caused it to weave between his fingers before squashing it in his palm.
Seeing Kahn's demonstration of control, Fire Lord Zuko was already at a loss for words. Even he wouldn't be able to demonstrate such fine control over his flames, yet here Kahn was informing someone that it was a 'basic' technique. It was such an outlandish notion that he wasn't even surprised when the driver managed to produce a flame at the tip of his index finger, lightly burning it in the process.
"I...I did it...!"
Ignoring the fact he had just burned the tip of his finger, the driver was so overjoyed by his sudden status as a Firebender that he attempted to hug Kahn. Unfortunately, at least for the driver, Kahn preempted his efforts by stepping away and dodging to the side, saying, "Good for you. Make sure you train hard from this moment onward."
Finished with his demonstration, Kahn returned to the trio of Masters just in time to hear Tenzin remark, "Astonishing...he truly is an Avatar..." under his breath.
Piggybacking off of Tenzin's words, Kahn explained, "The only thing that makes the Avatar special is the fact they have fused with the Great Spirit of Light and Peace, Raava. In truth, anyone that had melded with a Spirit qualifies as an Avatar. The Avatar can bend each of the elements because the original had his Chi Pathways opened by the Ancient Ones, the beings commonly referred to as Lion Turtles. Without their support and guidance, there would be no benders. Heck, there wouldn't even be any humans..."
Having learned about the existence of Lion Turtles from his father, the former Avatar, Tenzin's eyes glistened with a thirst for knowledge as he asked, "How do you know these things? As far as I know, even my father was unaware of them. He spent the last thirty years of his life recounting and recording all of the knowledge he accumulated throughout his life. If he had known these things, he would have shared them."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kahn's expression became mildly annoyed as he asked, "What's your point? Being an Avatar doesn't make one a scholar. As for how I know these things, they were hardcoded into my memory by my Creator, the Sage Dragon Emperor. He saw fit to give me knowledge of the past, present, and even the future of various worlds. Unfortunately for you, he also gave me the right to share and withhold it as I see fit. Unless I deem it necessary, don't expect me to divulge anything. Knowledge and information are power, and, in the wrong hands, there are no limits to the amount of devastation they can cause. I am here to help restore balance to the world, not disrupt it further."
Though Kahn's words made him feel a little uncomfortable, Tenzin did his best to commit them to memory. He believed there was much they could learn from someone like Kahn, so, while Zuko and Tonraq had succumbed to an awkward silence, he didn't hesitate to ask, "Is something going to happen? The Avatar Cycle has spanned nearly four hundred generations. In that time, there has never been a second Avatar sent to 'support' and 'protect' the current Avatar. If something terrible is about to occur to this world, you must tell us."
Shaking his head, Kahn answered, "No, I don't. The simple truth of the matter is that any society that relies on external assistance and warning to avert a crisis does not deserve to continue existing. You, and by you, I mean humanity as a whole, have always had the option of living in peace and creating a world where everyone can live happily..."
Closing his eyes, Kahn found himself suppressing a sigh as he crossed his hands behind his back and continued, adding, "Even if I were to share the truth, you would spend more time debating and arguing over it than fixing the issues that need to be addressed. If you want to contribute, continue supporting the Avatar to the best of your ability. Oppose systems that try to limit her power and question the reasoning of anyone who thinks their ten, twenty, or even sixty years in power grants them greater status and authority than the individual that has protected humanity for nearly ten-thousand years..."
Feeling exhausted, Kahn punctuated his rather serious statement with a lengthy, seemingly uncaring yawn. Since he lacked the personal thoughts and experiences of the man who had created him, his highest priority was watching over Korra and ensuring she wasn't controlled or manipulated by others. He had no interest in involving himself in the sociopolitical affairs of this world. At least, not until Korra invariably caused trouble.
Thinking of the young Avatar, Kahn preempted any further questions or arguments by stating, "Unless you intend to make camp, we should bury the dead and make haste for the nearest town. Waiting for reinforcements to arrive when you haven't even established a defensive line is incredibly foolish. What if more members of the Red Lotus showed up...?"
With Tonraq being a former General and Zuko being the Commander-in-Chief of the First Nation's Armed Forces, it didn't take them long to see the reason contained within Kahn's words. They weren't particularly fond of the words he had chosen, but that didn't diminish their significance. If anything, it compelled them to try and remedy their frustration by taking control of the situation...
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Far removed from the incident transpiring near the South Pole, both in distance and time, members of a gang known as the Agni Kai Triad were breaking into the mansion of one of the wealthiest industrial magnates in all of Republic City, Hiroshi Sato.
As the founder of Future Industries, Hiroshi Sato's wealth could rival that of a small nation. He was the genius that had invented Satomobiles, and, more recently, the planes being adopted by various militaries throughout the Four Nations. As a result, his wealth, power, and prestige had already reached the point that people regarded him as one of the most brilliant and influential men in history.
Intending to expand the influence of his gang and secure Hiroshi Sato as a private Sponsor, the leader of the Agni Kai Triad commanded his men to kidnap Asami Sato, the six-year-old heiress of Future Industries. Hiroshi was known to dote on his daughter quite a bit, so countless gangs, not just the Agni Kai Triad, had been targetting her since her debut one year prior.
After several months of observation, the members of the Agni Kai Triad were confident in their ability to invade the Sato Manor and sneak out without alerting the mansion's security. The gang leader even went out of his way to hire a talented Metal Bender known for his ability to discretely tunnel into Banks and other secure buildings.
At first, everything appeared to be going smoothly. The seven members of the Agni Kai Triad were able to infiltrate the mansion and enter Asami's room without incident. The only problem was that the six-year-old heiress never showed up. The increasingly anxious group of criminals waited well over an hour, but there was no sign of Asami anywhere.
Since it would be difficult to infiltrate the mansion a second time, the leader of the operation made the decision to check the master bedroom. There was a chance that Asami was sleeping with her mother, so, while it wasn't part of the original plan, he figured they could kidnap both girls. If they were successful, their boss may even let them have a bit of fun with Yasuko, Hiroshi's wife. If they threatened to do the same to his daughter, it should serve as excellent blackmail material.
Unwilling to retreat without their spoils, the group of seven men used the floor plan of the Sato Manor to locate the Master Bedroom. It was located on the third floor, but, thanks to their Metal Bending friend, they had very little trouble accessing it. When they did, they found the beautiful Yasuko glaring at them with a resolute expression near the headboard of a king-sized bed.
Seeing the gorgeous woman wearing little more than a silk nightgown, lecherous smiles developed across the faces of the seven men. Before they could even think to approach or threaten her, however, a vibrant, bluish-white line passed through each of their temples like a beam of light. In the very next moment, all seven men dropped to the floor with holes on both sides of their heads...

Chapter 5: Chapter 5