The wind was too still.
On Air Temple Island, that was never a good sign.
Jinora stood at the edge of the courtyard, her eyes closed, her breathing slow and steady as she moved through the final steps of her form. The air usually followed without hesitation, light and playful, like it had a mind of its own.
She had been feeling it for a while now, the spirits that hovered around the island had grown distant and spoke in whispers she could barely hear. Something was wrong, very wrong.
She looked over at the beam of light coming from the spirit portal at Republic City which managed to light up the sky giving it a faint but gentle glow but it wasn't gentle today, the sky was rumbling and before Jinora could question it, the sky flashed red engulfing the whole island, once the light died down, she knew she had to move fast.
Jinora didn't waste a second. She pulled out her bison whistle and blew sharply as she moved toward the lower part of the island.
Pepper came down moments later, landing beside her with a heavy thud.
"Jinora, what was that?" asked Ikki, rushing over just as Jinora climbed onto the saddle.
Kai followed close behind, already tense. "What's going on?"
"There's no time to explain," Jinora said. "Just stay here. I'll be back soon."
She didn't wait for a response.
Because the truth was, she didn't even know what she would say if she tried.
Whatever was causing this imbalance… it wasn't something she could ignore.
"Ikki you stay here incase something happens.. I'm going with your sister" Kai said blowing his own whistle and waiting for his bison to arrive.
"Are you sure she's fit to be moving around like this...I mean she's pregnant" Kai looked towards Ikki as his bison came flying down and landing.
"That's why I'm going after here... just stay safe" and with that Kai took off into the sky following hot on Jinora's trail.
"Jinora slow down"..."What are you doing here...I told you to stay back" Jinora said as Kai finally caught up with her.
"Come on Jinora we don't know what's going on and besides your pregnant... you knew I wouldn't let you do this alone" Kai responded trying to reason with her.
Jinora sighed and decided it was better to continue with the task ahead.
The Bisons landed just outside the path leading to the spirit portal where the city officials had already gathered along with several officers.
"Master Jinora" Zhu Li Moon, the current presidenti of Republic City approached bowing in respect
"Zhu Li... what's going on here" Jinora said as she looked around her environment.
The flowers around the path was dying, the sky was painted with red lightening strikes occasionally humming with power.
"We were hoping you would have an answer" Zhu Li responded..."everyone stay back...Kai come on"
Jinora and Kai walked ahead of the gathered party approaching the spirit portal which each step..."wait Jinora..if anything goes wrong I want you to get out of there first" Jinora turned to her husband looking surprised "what I can't just" Kai cut her off holding her hand tight "Please Jinora... your pregnant... you need to stay safe" Jinora understood his worries so with a final nod she agreed and took his hand and approached the portal.
Pulling back the vines that separated the spirit portal from the city was easy enough, of course it was.. just some vines nothing big about that.
The main problem began as soon as Jinora and Kai step foot into the circumference of the spirit portal.
"Jinora" Kai said looking around. It was evening worse in person. The portal base was humming and shaking with power waiting to be unleashed.
"Jinora look out!!!" a burst of air shot past her knocking back a dark spirit. "Stay on guard" Kai said as the both stood back to back circling each other.
The portal hummed louder then finally a storm of spirits flew back heading towards the couple with speed.
Jinora and Kai were quick to react forming a tornado together to contain the overwhelming amount of spirits rushing from the portal.
"They're too much" Jinora said trying her best to keep her technique up but it was getting harder. Dark energy spilled from the portal knocking pushing them back a few feet.
"Jinora you need to leave now" Kai said rushing to her side while air bending away the approaching spirits.
"I can't leave you like this" Jinora said approaching the portal again and pushing against the dark energy "what are you doing!!!" Kai shouted as the Chaos around them seemed to get louder.
"Just need to make contact with the portal" Jinora said as she pushes forward as more dark energy poured out "AHH" she fell on one knee holding her stomach.
"Jinora get out of there now" Kai shouted trying to approach her but the push was too strong. Jinora looked back at Kai then the portal..."I'll be fine...we need to fix this now" she kept going despite his calls for her to turn back.
Jinora was just about to make contacts when she heard an agonizing screaming, "Kai" at the moment nothing mattered anymore...she quickly engulfed herself in an air sphere and shot out of the dark field of energy rushing towards Kai and picking him up carrying out the way they came in.
It was only once they landed they she looked at him properly, he was stuck on his chest and the dark energy was spreading fast
"Kai..Kai" he wasn't responding "we need a healer now" Jinora said trying to control her emotions "right away' Zhu Li said already mobilising her men "we don't have time" Jinora said and once more engulfed her and Kai in the air sphere and flew off.."Jinora wait" Zhu Li called after her but it was too late meanwhile the chaos at the portal only grew bigger as spirits finally emerged from beyond the vines, "stay your ground" Zhu Li ordered her men with a determined look on her face.
Jinora landed with Kai at the nearest healing centre and went in, heading straight for the heads healer's office, the healer wasn't her grandmother but she didn't have time to get Kai to Katara.
"He needs help" she said bursting in and laying him down in the healing tub, the healer already sensing the distress in her voice got to work.
Jinora held her stomach Ignoring the sharp pain she felt, "I'm losing his energy" the healer said worriedly, "what" Jinora doubled over the pain..the healer rushed to her holding her up "you need to sit down" he said looking over her "I'm fine... just help him please" but she as she spoke her voice grew weaker like her energy was being drained.
"It's your baby" the healer quickly called for help, Jinora could barely talk anymore, she looked at the nearest window seeing the enter city covered in red, she felt her energy slipping away as she was carried away...."Kai" was the last word she managed to mutter before the darkness took her.
The next thing Jinora saw was a bright light.