Glittering Gold • LOK

CHAPTER 2•11

The Ultimatum

Dawn was thrown into a war airship, her back hitting against the metal railing as Zaheer flew into the doorway and closed his glider as he watched his artwork in Ba Sing Se. The people raided the kingdom, taking everything and burning down the palace and the rings. Dawn watched in horror as her golden eyes were bright with flames from the scene below. Her mouth was gasped open while she glared at Zaheer, her eyes pointed at the back of his head. She grabbed her shoe off of her foot and chucked it at his bald head right were his scar was.

"You egotistical maniac! How could you just let those people die?! So many of their houses were burned to the ground, they have no place to stay." She said while she was was about to punch him, but P'Li grabbed her and held her down.

"The strong will live, the weak will die, that's how the order of things will go. Now, we have to make another stop." He smirked while he grabbed Dawn's face as she teared up, Zaheer leaving finger print bruises on her skin.

"Korra would never just let you take her." She said angrily.

"I know, but she would to save you and the air temple." He teased, letting her face go as Dawn scowled at him.

She growled, feeling her anger grow and her body shook. "I will slit your throat!" She yelled, her eyes turning pure white and as a large ball of flames her created around the girl's body, causing P'Li to gasp in pain as her hands burnt, Ming Hua quickly went into action as the water surrounded her, but Dawn bended it back and her head snapped to cause the water to freeze and break into sharp shards to fly into Ming Hua and Ghazan then started to encase her wrists in earth, but it looked as if it melt when it turned into sand and wrapped around Ghazan's neck and hardened back into stone.

Neither of the Benders could redo what the Protector did, only for Zaheer to not turn around as she rushed towards him and when he felt her single wave of air skim across his robes, he turned quickly and pressed her two pointer fingers into her forehead and neck.

She gasped, her eyes dimming softly and he just kept his smile on his face. "Save your Protector State for the grand finale." He whispered into her ear, her eyes closing as she slumped into a pile on the floor, the Red Lotus all gasping for air as they fell and Ming Hua looked down at her pupil.

"I never taught her that." She muttered, Zaheer nodding his head.

"You didn't need to. That was all Persephone's doing." He stated, walking over her and heading towards the controls of the airship.

<><><>

As Dawn opened her eyes, she could see the mist of clouds over the windows of the airship. She groaned, her head pounding and tried to get up, only for her feet's and hands to clank together as they were shackled to the ship.

She looked to see Zaheer and P'Li looking out the door, and Dawn shifting her torso to see where they were. Her eyes caught sight of Tenzin, the man staring right at her as she frowned. "No." She whispered and saw everyone trying to leave, but there was no chance. Every exits was blocked, and as everyone dropped down except for P'Li to keep her eyes on everything, Dawn took several deep breaths.

She felt hands grab her as she groaned, her hair being pulled up along with the chains being forced against her skin. "Let's go." Zaheer said, pushing the girl off, as they walked down, her eyes scanned the area and when they walked inside the temple, she was pushed to her knees as she looked at the frightened Air Nation.