The Balance of Power- Chapter 4

The Balance of Power

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Chapter Four

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Progression

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On another World, within another Universe

Republic City

Air Temple Island


He stood silently for all of them to see. The Oldstrong that'd been driven insane by his own power and twisted psyche. He came from a world that no longer exists, a world that of fire and death, a planet that was as violently scarred as the right side of his own face. He is Hiro-Kala, son of Hulk and Caiera, brother of Skaar. And once he was freed from his imprisonment, he came to this world.

It was this world, a world that the Oldstrong Shadow People visited eons ago, that would finally bring him total conquest. Only the Avatar could challenge him, only the Avatar of this world would have the power to defeat him. But she had been banished, cast out from this universe. There was nothing that could stand in his way. Not the Avatar, not his Father, not his Brother... nothing!

This world, this entire universe, was now his for the taking! But for that to be fully realized, Hiro-Kala needed a pair of amulets. He knew their individual location, almost sense them with his accursed Old Power. One was at the farthest reaches of this planet, hidden within a tomb that had been nearly forgotten by all. And the other amulet, the one closest for him to obtain, was in the possession of Avatar Aang's youngest offspring... Tenzin.

"What do you want?", Tenzin inquired, glaring at the being responsible for banishing Korra from this world.

"I seek the Heart, old man.", Hiro-Kala answered, narrowing his eyes at the airbending master.

"I... I don't understand.", Tenzin responds, confusion evident in his voice.

"Nor would I expect you to understand, but don't be concerned. All will be revealed in time. I've come for an amulet that you have in your possession. It is essential to my task.", Hiro-Kala clarified.

Tenzin knew what Hiro-Kala was seeking. He remembered when his mother and father, Katara and Aang, had given him the amulet in the form of a necklace as a gift when he was a young boy. He never understood why his father chose to give him the amulet, nor did he truly understand what it symbolized or know of its origins. All that his father told him that it was of vast importance, that he was to forever keep it close and make sure it would remain safe. And if the sinister Hiro-Kala wanted it, it couldn't be for a good purpose.

"And if I refuse to hand it over?", Tenzin questioned, his voice remaining stern and strong in the presence of such an evil being.

"That would be a very... unwise decision.", Hiro-Kala answered, a twisted smirk marking his features.

Releasing a cry of pure rage, unable to hold himself back for a second longer, Tonraq rushes full speed at Hiro-Kala. He pulls out a large, curved dagger from its holder before resuming to lunge and swipe at the insane Oldstrong. He heard enough from this sadistic, evil monster of an alien/human hybrid. His daughter, the only child that he and his beloved wife sired, was gone forever because of Hiro-Kala. He would not let her demise go unavenged, for he would cut out the dark heart of the evil son of Hulk... or die in the attempt!

"You've taken the life of my daughter, Hiro-Kala... and I promise the spirits themselves that no one else will die by your hand!", Tonraq bellowed, lunging at the villain again with his curved Water Tribe dagger.

Much to his credit, Hiro-Kala was fast enough to dodge the sharp blade that threatened to slice his flesh with each lunging swipe from the enraged water tribesman. This was growing tiresome, and Hiro-Kala knew that he had a much more important task to complete if his conquest would be successful. Summoning his Old Power, hardening his flesh until it became more dense than diamond, Hiro-Kala watched as the dagger slashed harmlessly across his form before delivering a palm strike to Tonraq's chest. The Old Power empowered blow has enough force to send the large man soaring across the room and smashing against the wall, instantly knocking him out as he crashed to the floor in a heap.

"That's enough out of you!", Chief Lin Beifong proclaimed, lashing out with a metal cable by using her metalbening skills.

"Fools! Do any of you think you're capable of stopping me?!", Hiro-Kala snarled, grabbing the metal cable within his hands before it could rope itself around his body.

Using his Old Power enhanced strength, Hiro-Kala swings the metal cable in a wide arch, taking Lin Beifong off her feet before sending her crashing into General Iroh and Bumi. Releasing the metal cable from his grasp, Hiro-Kala advanced towards Tenzin. He came to a stop directly in front of the bearded airbender, who defiantly stood his ground, refusing to back down. Lunging forward, Hiro-Kala's hand grasps Tenzin by the throat, but the airbender still refused to be intimidated as she glared at the evil son of Hulk.

"Give me the amulet, old man!", Hiro-Kala ordered, tightening his grip on the airbender's throat.

"N-Never!", Tenzin growled out through clenched teeth.

Enraged by Tenzin's defiance, Hiro-Kala throws him down to the flooring. His eyes travel around the room, from Seena kneeling over and holding the unconscious form of her husband in her arms, to Bolin, Mako and Asami who stood silently in one of the corners within the room, and then on General Iroh, Lin Beifong, Kya and Bumi who were kneeling down to make sure that the female leader of Republic City's Police Task Force wasn't injured. Then, Hiro-Kala focused his cold, malevolent glowing azure eyes on those who were most precious to the airbending master: His beloved wife Pema and their four children- Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and baby Rohan. It only took a moment for Tenzin to realize where Hiro-Kala intended to focus his aggression upon, a look of utter horror crossing the airbending master's face.

"Your family? A beautiful, loving wife. And four sweet, innocent children. This could be... interesting.", Hiro-Kala spoke before beginning to stalk towards the family, a hidden malice in his voice.

"No! Leave them alone!", Tenzin yelled, slowly getting to his feet.

Hiro-Kala continued his slow, menacing walk towards the airbending family, ignoring the words spoken by Tenzin completely. The dark Oldstrong drops down to one knee in order to be at eye level with the Pema and the children who were now sitting down on the floor cowering against the nearby wall. He slowly reaches out to roughly grasp Pema's lower jaw, forcing her to stare into his eyes for a second before releasing her. He then reaches out with his left hand to gently caress Jinora's face, causing the young girl to shudder from a combination of fear and the unwanted contact of his cold as death touch.

"I wonder... could you live without them? Would seeing them die right before your very eyes be more painful than that of your own death? Could you even live with yourself if such a fate would befall them? I wonder... what price would you be willing to pay, what would you give in order to make sure that they're safe?", Hiro-Kala remarks, lighting up his hands with the fiery azure-hued Old Power energies.

"No! Stop!", Tenzin pleaded, his eyes becoming wide with terror.

"They say nothing hurts more than losing your children, that no parent should ever have to bury their child. Would you like to find out if that is true?", Hiro-Kala offered as a sick inquiry, slowly inching his crackling Old Power engulfed right hand closer to Ikki's face who began to tremble and cry out of pure fear and helplessness.

"Please! Don't! I'll... I'll...", Tenzin pleaded, desperate to protect his family from this psychotic monster.

"Yes, old man?", Hiro-Kala quietly asks, standing back up to his full height before looking directly at Tenzin.

"I'll give you what you want. I'll give you the amulet, just as long as you don't harm anyone.", Tenzin said with a heavy sigh, finally giving in to Hiro-Kala's demands.

"I accept your terms. Now, if you would, give me the amulet and I'll gladly be on my way.", Hiro-Kala replied evenly, extending his hand out to await for the amulet to be placed within his open palm.

Tenzin lowered his head, knowing that there was no other way to save his family. Walking over to the bookshelf, Tenzin uncovers a small wooden box hidden between some of the larger hardcover novels. He grasped the box within his hands, opening it and retrieving the beautiful amulet from its confines. For a brief second he marveled at the sheer beauty of the crystal, a heavy sigh unknowingly escaping from him. He proceeds to walk over to where Hiro-Kala stood, and once reaching there Tenzin placed the amulet in the palm of the demonic Oldstrong.

Hiro-Kala let a triumphant smirk grace his features, clenching the hand holding the amulet into a fist before turning away. He slowly advanced towards his point of entrance, one that he created through the walls of the structure itself with a blast of Old Power upon his arrival. That was until he heard something that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"You're a monster!", Senna hissed, her eyebrows furrowing as she glared at him.

"Yes, I know. But I am the monster that this world needs.", Hiro-Kala stated in reply as he turned to make eye contact with Senna, unfazed by her hate-filled glare and insult.

"I am the monster that you, your people, and the entire world will come to worship. I will become your emperor, your king, your God! All those who dare to stand against me, all those who will not yield to my power... they will suffer! For not only will I torture them, not only will I kill them... I'll do something far worse. I will rip out their very souls... their spiritual essence... and then I will tear it asunder!", Hiro-Kala vowed, his eyes flashing an eerie azure glow.

Turning away one last time, Hiro-Kala stepped onto the large circular platform of earth, summoning the Old Power in order to achieve a form of levitation/flight from the energies. Blasting off of Air Temple Island, Hiro-Kala soared through the heavens at lightning speed. He was intent to reach the destination far from Republic City, a place that was forgotten by all those living on this world, a place that was now nothing more than a legend.

The tomb of the Oldstrong who fell in love with one of the first Avatars eons ago. It was here that he could enter the Spirit World, where he could find the mystical/spiritual Heart of this world. It was here that he'd summon a virtually limitless army, an army that would bring this world and many others to their knees. And greater still, he would release a demon... an entity that dwarfed mountains, an entity that could cover this entire world in darkness. An entity that is made up of the combined might of a pantheon of 100,000 dark demons, gods and spirits... Aku-Tonrar!

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On another World, within another Universe

Gamma World, New Mexico

Base of the Hulks


Seated on a comfortable sofa, with Skaar sitting beside her, Korra looked at the five gamma-empowered behemoths within the room. Her cerculean-hued eyes gazed at Hulk, Red She-Hulk, She-Hulk, A-Bomb and Red Hulk, watching their every move. She couldn't help but feel tense and uneasy, for who wouldn't be if they were in her situation? And besides Skaar, she didn't really make a very good first impression with any of them.

She punched A-Bomb in the nose, blasted Red She-Hulk in eyes with elemental fire before judo throwing her into the jade-skinned She-Hulk, temporarily blinded Red Hulk with frozen water, and then went on to forcing the Hulk into an altercation that could've been avoided if she didn't let her aggressive nature and tough girl attitude blind her to reason. In all honesty, she couldn't really blame them if they wanted to take her head off, knowing all too well how that feeling felt. She couldn't count how many times she wanted to punch the lights out of that arrogant Tahno or even Mako when they would have an argument from time-to-time.

"Put these on.", Hulk said in a stern tone, handing some of Jen's workout clothes to Korra.

Doing as she was told, Korra took the white short-sleeve t-shirt and the pair of sweatpants. Immediately she puts the t-shirt and sweatpants on, covering what remained of her damaged attire. She was thankful that the clothing was comfortable, and the fact that now she didn't feel as exposed as she was moments ago. Despite this, she still felt uneasy as all eyes within the room watched her every move.

"Who are you?", Hulk questioned, making direct eye contact with the elemental teenager.

"My name is Korra. I'm the Avatar.", Korra answered.

This admission did not satisfy any of the Hulks, who seemed more confused or intrigued by her statement than anything else. Well, with the exception of the Red Hulk, who didn't seem to give a damn, and Red She-Hulk, who still looked incredibly ticked after her earlier encounter with the Avatar. She was just thankful that she made a friend in Skaar, who was, besides his unusual gray-white skin tone, the most human in appearance out of them all... or so she currently believed.

"Uh... what's an Avatar?", A-Bomb asked, his clawed digits lightly scratching the top of his scaly, azure-hued head.

"Explain.", Hulk urged sternly, his tone making it quite clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Well, on the world where I'm from, there's people who can control elements with their bending. You see, there's four elements: Water, Earth, Fire and Air. Each person, each bender, can only control one of the four elements. But I'm the only exception. I can control all of the elements.", Korra explained, taking some pride in her last statement.

"Wicked cool!", A-Bomb said, a hint of excitement making its way into his voice.

"So, on your world, people can basically manipulate planetary elements?", She-Hulk inquired.

"Yeah, pretty much.", Korra answered with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Hmph! Sounds like a load of BS from some hippie teenager who's taken too much LSD.", Red Hulk growled in a low voice.

"Leave her alone, old man. She's been through a lot. I mean, it's not like we haven't dealt with stranger things than this. Or have you forgotten that weird Mayan Gods incident that me and you got involved in?", A-Bomb interjected, coming to the defense of the teenage elemental bender.

"Oh, you mean the one that you caused that nearly got us killed?", Red Hulk retorts with a sneer.

"Shut the hell up! Both of you! I want to hear what else this kid's got to say.", Red She-Hulk snarled, her fiery eyes glaring at her two teammates.

"You told us that people on your world can manipulate the elements, that each person can only control one element. But you also said that you are the exception to that contradiction. Why is that?", Hulk questioned, his jade eyes locking on to Korra's own blue irises.

"It's because I'm the Avatar.", Korra stated once again.

"And here we go again.", Red She-Hulk groaned, recieving an elbow from the emerald-skinned She-Hulk.

"Sorry about that. Betty is rather... impatient when it comes to certain subjects. Could you explain how being the Avatar allows you to be able to control all the elements? Describe what it means to be the Avatar. Tell us of your history, of how one becomes the Avatar, of your purpose in your world.", She-Hulk suggested, acting as calm and reasonable as always.

"I... I'm not sure I can. If Tenzin were here, yeah, but me trying to explain everything? I don't know if I can.", Korra replied, lowering her gaze in uncertainty.

She glanced down to her hands that were folded on her lap, unsure of how she could make these people, these monstrous beings, understand everything about herself and her world. Korra let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. It was then that she felt something rest on her hands, causing her to open her eyes to view whatever it was that now gently touched her skin. What she discovered was a gray-white hand that was just slightly larger than her own, the hand that belonged to Skaar.

"You can do it, Korra. I know you can.", Skaar said, encouraging her with a small smile.

Korra couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd barely known Skaar for a day, yet here he was giving her moral support and trying to boost her confidence. It was unexpected, even uncanny for him to trust in someone whom he barely even knows. Still, Korra couldn't deny that she was touched by his actions, a slight heat entering her cheeks as she turned her gaze in order to meet his own. Unknown to them, this did not go unnoticed by some of the Hulks, particularly that of the Hulk and She-Hulk.

"Thanks.", Korra whispered to him, a smile forming on her features as she began to find her confidence.

"The Avatar is the spirit of the world incarnated in human form, the only being in the world who can control and use all the elements simultaneously. Once an Avatar masters the four elements, they must use their power to keep balance among the four nations of the world. Not only must the Avatar maintain balance to the world, but they must also ensure that there is balance and peace in the physical world and the Spirit World. When an Avatar dies, another is born to enforce balance in the world, like when I replaced Avatar Aang, just as he replaced Avatar Roku before him.", Korra carefully explained, taking her time as all eyes in the room focused on her.

"Wow... this is awesome. Different, but still awesome! Definitely not something you'd hear every day.", A-Bomb remarked with a friendly chuckle.

"Shut it, Jones.", Red Hulk growled, narrowing his eyes at the azure-armored titan.

"That explains some things, but not what happened in our little fight. What caused your eyes to glow? What caused you to create a sphere of all four elements around you? What was that?", Hulk asked.

"It's called the Avatar State. I usually only enter it when I'm extremely angry, or extremely sad, or when I'm in very, very deep trouble. I remember Tenzin telling me that Roku told Aang that the Avatar State is like a defense mechanism, designed to empower us with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars. The glow is the combination of all our past lives, focusing their energy through our body. In the Avatar State, I'm at my most powerful, but I'm also at my most vulnerable. If I'm killed in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle would be broken and there would be no more Avatars. Never again.", Korra answered, recalling the conversation she had with her airbending master.

"Wait a second. How could have Aang spoken to Roku if he was already dead?", She-Hulk inquires, pointing out what she viewed as a logical flaw in this discussion.

"Didn't I mention that the Avatar can contact and speak with all their past incarnations? I thought I mentioned that earlier... Oh, wait, I didn't. Sorry about that. My bad.", Korra said sheepishly.

"She can talk to her dead predecessors? Yeah, that's natural.", Red Hulk grumbled, crossing his muscular crimson biceps over his chest.

"Okay, that's weird. But still pretty cool.", A-Bomb added, his opinion as optimistic and light-hearted as usual.

"Then that means that you really are from another Earth, from another Universe, aren't you?", Hulk stated in inquiry, his face devoid of any emotion.

"Um... Yeah, I guess.", Korra responds, an awkward smile gracing her features.

Silence filled the entire room. None of them spoke, not even a single word uttered. It ended when the sound of amused chuckles came from Red She-Hulk, who was now leaning back against the wall. All eyes focused on the scarlet-skinned female powerhouse, wondering what could be the cause of her strange demeanor. Then her light laughter stopped as her fiery eyes focused on Korra, a wicked smile of amusement appearing on the face of the transformed Betty Banner.

"Heh. You really are a freak, aren't you, kid?", Red She-Hulk taunted, her words striking a nerve with the female Avatar.

"What's your problem?! I didn't do anything to you!", Korra exclaimed.

"You blasted me in the face with fire!", Red She-Hulk hissed, her fiery gaze settling on the element manipulating teen.

"Oh, and what was I supposed to do?! You snarled at me like a crazed komodo-rhino!", Korra retorted, rising to her feet in that very instant.

"You better sit back down on that cot and shut your mouth, princess, or I'm going to remove your head from your shoulders with the first punch!", Red She-Hulk threatened, clenching her hands tightly into fists as she got into a fighting stance.

"You wanna fight?! Fine! Let's go!", Korra challenged, summoning lightning to right fist and fire in her left.

"Fine by me, kid! Here comes the pain!", Red She-Hulk snarled, getting ready to lunge at Korra only to be restrained by She-Hulk and A-Bomb.

"Calm down, Betty! You don't really want to fight a teenager, do you?!", She-Hulk proclaimed, trying her best to reason with her fellow teammate and friend.

"The hell I don't! I'm gonna knock her teeth down her throat!", Red She-Hulk snarls, struggling against those who kept her from her target.

"Seriously, Betty. Take a chill-pill!", A-Bomb stated, not at all thrilled with the situation.

"She's nothing but trouble! I knew we should have handed her over to SHIELD! Hell, we could have let that geek Reed Richards take her in for one of his little science projects! Now, I bet she's gonna drag all of us into some kind of a freaking war on another damn world, in another goddamn universe!", Red She-Hulk shouted at the top of her lungs.

It was at that moment that Hulk had enough! He would not tolerate this any further, especially not from his teammates, regardless if they were his family or his friends. This had to be stopped. He wasn't going to allow an all-out brawl to ensue in their base of operations. This would end now!

"Everyone, calm down!", Hulk roared, his thunderous voice bringing silence and calm within the room.

"We're not here to fight.", Hulk stated in proclamation.

"Then why the hell are we even here?!", Red She-Hulk demanded with a low growl.

"We're here to welcome and learn more about our unique guest, Betty." She-Hulk informed.

"Um... all of you know I'm in the same room, right?", Korra remarked, sitting back down on the cot beside Skaar.

"Sorry. We sometimes get caught up in our arguments.", She-Hulk apologized, sending a brief glare at Betty who merely glared right back at the Jade Giantess.

"It's okay. But if it's all right with all of you, since I've told all of you a bit about myself, why don't all of you tell me something about yourselves? I scratch your back, you scratch mine. What do you say?", Korra offered in suggestion.

"She does deserve that much, Bruce.", She-Hulk concluded, agreeing with the young woman.

"Yeah, what could it hurt?", A-Bomb added evenly.

"Power-down and change back, everyone.", Hulk ordered, releasing a heavy sigh.

"To hell with that!", Red She-Hulk hissed defiantly.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling you. All of you! Change! Now!", Hulk roars, his jade eyes briefly glowing with a radiant energy.

"Fine.", Red She-Hulk sneered between clenched teeth, extremely reluctant in transforming back into her human form.

It was then that this change, this unbelievable reversion, began to commence before the eyes of Avatar Korra and Skaar. Flesh and bone morph as it shrinks down, decreasing the size and mass of the five gamma-empowered titans within mere moments. The emerald flesh of the Hulk and She-Hulk, the crimson flesh of Red She-Hulk and Red Hulk, and the azure armor of A-Bomb disappears completely, revealing the caucasian skin of their human bodies that some would describe, in spiritual-physical sense, as being hidden within.

In her life, Korra had witnessed many spectacular and truly breath-taking sights, yet none of them could compare to what she had just seen. She had watched the Hulk, She-Hulk, Red She-Hulk, A-Bomb and Red Hulk transform into beings that were as human as herself, allowing her to see them for who they truly are beneath all that mass of gamma-empowered flesh and bone. It was something that she never expected to take witness, the shock and utter awe at viewing such an incredible process evidently displayed in the expression of her face and the look in her arctic-blue eyes. And this would be just one of the many wonders she would behold on this planet, on this world that was so much like her own, within this Universe.

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To Be Continued...