Recovery

== Prologue ==
Korra’s legs gave out, and she crumpled to the ground.
Caran’s senses ground to a halt at that moment. Racing through his mind were thoughts, none of them positive in quality. All of them dwelt back on the ultimate futility of his effort, on how he failed to protect his sister. A stray part of his brain hurled back against such self-blame, constantly pointing out that Caran played no part in the Red Lotus’ assault on Korra, that her predicament was the result of the machinations of Bane, Zaheer, and the other members of their elite. Yet, no matter how loudly that thought screamed, the self-blame screamed louder, and dominated his mind. He quickly shook himself out of his train of thought, and rushed alongside Tonraq and the rest of Team Avatar to surround Korra. 
As Caran knelt beside his sister, their father crouched beside her, wrapped his arms around her limp form, and slowly lifted her on his lap. Caran could only hear Korra’s breath slowing and feel the heat fading from her body, serving only to reinforce his guilt over Korra’s situation. All that training in the Pit with Qui-Gon, all that hard work in turning back to the Light Side, and for what? The Red Lotus still critically injured her, just as his visions in the Tree of Time a few weeks back rang true. Caran snapped back to attention when he heard their father speak.
“Korra, sweetheart, it’s me, Dad. Please hang on,” Tonraq pleaded, sliding his hand down her face.
Korra turned her head to face her father, reaching out to her. The small glimmer of hope within Caran was dashed when Korra nodded, the Avatar State diminishing as her eyelids dimmed the bright glow of her eyes. His heart absolutely broke as he sensed tears welling up in their father’s eyes, tenderly holding her hand. 
His ears picked up on the chuckling behind him. Glancing aside, he observed the audacity of Zaheer chortling whilst encased in a mound and given the solemnity of the moment.
“What are you laughing at?” Lin demanded, irritated. The Chief was partially taken aback by the smug expression on Zaheer’s face as he swung his head to face her.
“You're too late! The poison has been in her system too long. The Red Lotus has won!” 
“You can save her! The poison is metallic!”
Caran looked up in Jinora’s direction, astonished by this piece of information. The feeling of hope flickered again in his heart, the realisation that Korra could still be saved growing within him. He waited anxiously as Suyin Beifong rushed alongside Jinora towards Korra, holding her by the shoulder and the forehead. Nail-biting tension continued as the Metal Clan matriarch examined the presence of the mercury in the Avatar’s body.
Everyone’s breath held as the metalbender executed a series of pulling motions above the Avatar’s body, clearly cumulating the widespread poison within — indicated by the gurgling noise emanating from Korra’s body — in order to extract it. As the hands hovered above the mouth, a stream of lustrous fluid shot out.
Yet the body had still not moved even slightly. 
Tonraq hugged her tighter. Despair reigned over the crowd — with the undoubted exception of the incarcerated Red Lotus member — though none felt more so than Caran.
Caran’s mind filled with rage and fury at the despondence of the situation. Why couldn’t he save her? Was it always meant to be? What good was his powers? So much for the Forc— Caran halted at the last thought, his brain recalling the latest augmentation he received from Vaatu. Turning back to Korra, his mind worked on overdrive, before it finally clicked.
“Dad,” Caran finally breathed, “let me try.”
Despite the milky film in Caran’s eyes, Tonraq could discern the determination in them. The father nodded.
Caran placed his hand on Korra’s abdomen. He closed his eyes, calling on the Force of Reylea. Granted, his usual execution of the power always diminished rather than sustained him — a fact that he was foolishly oblivious to till he became stuck in the Pit. But, with what he was about to pull, he reasoned that it would be worth the try — and the cost.
Caran poured everything into her. He found reservoirs he only now discovered he had. He gave her his whole self.
Everyone gasped. It wasn’t because when he opened his eyes, his natural, emerald irises had returned in lieu of his hitherto milky blindness — although it did earn some surprise from Jinora and himself.
No, it was because of the miracle that happened afterward.
Korra’s diaphragm rose with a cough, and her warm hand covered her brother’s hand. Finally, the eyelids opened, revealing the white glow of the Avatar State.
Korra was alive. 
Caran observed Korra came to, groggily scanning her surroundings, until she took notice at a face above her. A small smile crept on her own face, relieved.
“Dad. You’re alive.”
“I’m here for you,” Tonraq asserted, hugging his daughter closely. “I’m never gonna let you go.”
As Korra released herself, ignoring the resentful rants erupting from Zaheer’s mouth — which preceded Bolin’s humorous and successful attempt at shutting him up — her eyes flitted towards the second figure that surrounded her. The pale skin and the scarlet gap under his eyes may have fooled everyone else initially, but Korra could never forget those viridescent eyes that she remembered staring into when she found him all those years ago in the crashed spaceship. Her face considerably brightened when she faced him.
“Caran,” Korra whispered, pulling him into her habitual bear-hugs that she always gave him. But whereas Caran previously complained about them, this time he tightly embraced her in turn, celebration that they’d found each other again. 
And for the last time, Caran realised. Korra then drew back, concern on her face. She could feel him growing cold.
Caran simply smiled at her.
He then collapsed to the ground. 
----TRACK: Aurora - Hans Zimmer (2:50-7:05)
----Korra cried out, and everyone’s attention focused on the Avatar’s brother.
“Caran! What’s wrong?!” the Avatar asked worriedly, her face displaying a sense of urgency.
“I’m dying,” Caran bluntly stated. “Worth draining my life force on you, though.”
Her face contorted with an expression of alarm, Korra desperately waved her arms around, attempting to draw moisture in the air. It only entailed her jerking back, the pain of the residual poison still inducing after-effects on her body.
“Korra, you’re alive. That’s all that matters,” Caran affirmed. 
“No it isn’t! Why would you even do such a thing?!” Korra retorted.
“The world needs the Avatar,” Caran continued.
“And what about what I need, Caran? I need you with me!” 
“Don’t worry, I’ll be around,” Caran assured. He turned to Jinora, who was kneeling down beside his fallen body, tears streaming down her face. Mustering his strength, he reached out to clasp her face. Jinora clenched it tight in return.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend time with each other sooner,” he hemmed.
Jinora only placed a small peck on his lips in response, a sad smile forming on her face. He gave a grin in return, forever grateful for being granted the opportunity to know Jinora.
He then reached out his arm, and his makeshift lightsaber sprang to his hand. He unfurled the rope wrapped around the exterior, revealing two cleanly-split pieces of a transparent crystal — his Kyber crystal, the one he wore his entire life. Gesturing gently, the pieces flew softly towards Jinora’s and Korra’s palms, before he closed their hands. His wheezing softening, he turned back to his sister. He knew his last words had to count. Racking his brain, he reminisced one particular moment they had back in the South Pole, before smiling.
“Thank you, Korra,” Caran managed to say.
“For what?” Korra choked.
“For being my sister.”
He caught his breath one last time, and exhaled, his spirit passing from him. His body shivered once, and he disappeared.
Jinora leaned against her father, weeping alongside her siblings. Korra stared down at Caran’s empty tunic, sobbing. Tonraq embraced her tightly in turn, whilst holding on to the tunic.
All those memories — ones where they played in the snow, where they snuggled against Naga, where they fought side-by-side as an unstoppable sibling duo — flushed back in Korra’s mind. As joyous as those memories were, it only served to reinforce the bitter, traumatic truth.
Caran was dead.
Category:Avatar Saga Books
Category:LOK Books
Category:Non-canon