Raidens body had become a mere husk of what he was like before, it had damaged his body much in three weeks. He was coughing up blood almost all the time he had difficulty breathing most of the time, his body weight was almost non-existent as it looked like he had a severe case of anorexia. He bones ached and cracked when he moved. He had difficulty sleeping or walking or eating what little he could find. The closet description to his state, would be that of a walking corpse.

Raiden wandered for a while through the South Pole, but for some reason he always ended up in the same place. The cave that Korra and himself visited long before going to Republic City.

It was night but even three weeks after he left they still searched for him endlessly. He entered the cave and went to the slope downwards where he found the apple they dropped the first time that he was here. He looked at its rotten remains but it only served as a grisly reminder of his own grim state.
He picked up the apple amd threw it out of the cave as he turned to the right and sat down in a small inset curve in the caves form. Listening to the sounds of the men and women outside searching for him he prepared to sleep.

“Wow naga!” He heard someone shout but knew exactly who it was

Korra entered the cave and looked around as Raiden was dreading the moment she should find him for it was inevitable.

As she searched and searched she neared the place were Raiden hid, and as he knew she would, she found him.

She gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth as she saw him, the shock to her of what he had become was immense and overwhelming.

“Raiden” she said in but a whisper as he closed his eyes and passed put from exhaustion.

Raiden awoke in a bed wrapped in blankets . The room was warm and as he opened his eyes he recognised it immediately, it was his own quarters in the South Pole Compound. As he pulled himself from the grasp of sleep and looked around the room he found it empty.

He got put of bed, slowly and painfully as his bones ached and cracked. He tried to walk but fell over meekly on the floor with a breatless grunt and quiet moan of pain, he pulled a nearby stick to himself and pushed himself to his feet using the stick as support. he put on a pair of trousers and a shirt over his bony, emancipated body so as to cover himself up. He knew not how long he had been asleep but he knew in his heart, it would not be long now maybe a day until his time would come. He left the room and hobbled with his walking stick to the kitchen to see if anyone was there. But do not be mistaken, for he was not looking for anyone nor was he hoping that anyone would be there, it was the opposite, he wanted to see if everyone was gone so he could run away again.

But upon opening the sliding door to the kitchen and dining area, Raiden found that everyone who was present when Katara had tried to heal Korra, were all still there and were quietly eating together. But as they heard the door slide open the all looked up at Raiden with sadness in their eyes… And pity.

Sighing and not desiring the attention of others, Raiden slid the door closed as he sighed and turned to walk back down the hall

“Wow, I didn’t realise that it had gotten that bad that quickly!” Bolin said in a tone of sad amazement

“He… Raiden doesn’t have long left, I doubt he will live after today, maybe the early hours of tomorrow, but soon anytime now he will… Die” Katana said solemnly as a tear ran down her cheek

“Surely we should spend time with him then? Doesn’t he want to be with his friends before he dies?” Asami said in confusion

“No it is not his way, he is strange in that respect. He does not like to appear weak to those who know him, it would be his wish to die with his friends remembering who he was, not what he had become” Tenzin explained as Katara nodded in agreement

Korra stood up abruptly and angrily, storming out of the room as her parents called after her but she ignored them. She stormed down the hall to Raidens room slowing down as she approached. Her anger left her, replaced only with sadness and regret.

She slid open the door slowly and stepped inside. Raiden was standing in front of her by a window the stick he used to walk about placed in front of him as he looked out to the world deep in thought, standing up straight with a posture and appearance that would fool anyone into thinking there was nothing wrong with him.

Korra walked up to him as he turned to face her and she was reminded of the grim state he was in. He looked at her blankly as she started to cry and threw her arms over his shoulders, hugging him as if clinging to a piece of driftwood in a stormy sea. Raiden returned the hug as she spoke with great sorrow

“I’m so sorry Raiden, this is all my fault, if I hadn’t of tried to fight Amon this wouldn’t of happened! If I hadn’t drifted away from you and placed more time in being with you none of this would of happened! Isn’t there any way we can fix you! Heal you! Anything!”

Raiden looked sadly down into Korra’s remorseful eyes and replied

“No Korra, none of this is your fault, it is all mine. I was never there for you in Republic City, if you hadn’t of fought Amon, he wouldn’t have been stopped and this was the only way this story could have went. I am not meant for this world Korra, I am unnatural, with my departure through death, balance will once again greet this world with open arms, this, is the way of things, my time has passed me by” Raiden finished softly as Korra cried still burying her face in his chest.

Slowly and softly Raiden pulled himself from Korras arms, kissed her on the head and spoke softly to her once more

“You should return to the others, I need to sleep Korra” he finished as she nodded and he wiped a tear from her eye.

Raiden went to his bed and slowly lay down upon it as he drifted off into a deep sleep, somehow knowing this would be his last.

*********************************

Korra and the others entered Raidens room to say their say words to him as his lifeless form lay still on the bed, unmoving, his heart ceased to beat, his lungs ceased to heave.

Korra lay in her bed and wept for the loss of her friend and first lover.

*********************************

The world around Raidens perception was one of a swamp, a silent swamp filled with many creatures

“Hello Raiden” Raiden heard a young man say as he turned to face its source

As he turned around Raiden saw before him the Avatars Aang, Roku, Kyoshi and Kuruk. All smiling at him as Aang spoke

“It is time to return you to where it is that you belong Raiden, for you do not belong in our world. You belong in another”

Raiden became distraught at this news as saddness flooded through his nind

“What about Korra! Will I be able to ever see her again or anyone!?!” He yelled in despair

“Yes, Raiden, you may return one last time to bid farewell to those you love in our world”

“And what of my memories? Will i remember this place and everything I have done here?” Raiden continued as Aang nodded in confirmation

Slowly Raidens vision became a white blur as he felt himself being yanked back into the only world he knew as home.

*********************************

Raidens body formed as a blue spirit in the corner of his room and, the first thing he saw was his friends all mourning him. Korra entered the room and walked passed him without noticing him. Her eyes red raw with tears, she sat in silence beside his bed and simply placed her hand in his.

As she did so Raiden felt her hand in his in his spirit form. He sighed quietly as he stepped forward into the centre of he room.

“Korra” he said softly as everyones heads jerked up in shock at hearing his voice.

They all turned to face Raiden in his spirit form as he continued

“I… I will have to leave soon, forever. I have been allowed to say goodbye to you all, before they take me back to where I belong” Raiden explained as Tenzin looked at him in curiosity

“What do you mean, where you belong?” Tenzin asked

“The world in which I belong, I do not understand how I ended up in this world, but it is not a world in which I belong, but I fear this may be the last time I talk to any of you” Raiden replied to the group

“I, have always considered all of you family” Raiden began as he continued “Including those who aren’t here right now, Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, Iroh, all of you were my friends and family throughout these recent years and have always been there for me and have treated my with a kindness that not many others would, but I fear now, as I reflect on my life, I may not have always given you all the same in return, and I would like to apologise for that. I love each and every one of you all, as if you were my own Brothers and sisters, and, I will miss you” Raiden finished as they all nodded and left the room except Korra

“Where will you be sent?” She asked sadly as Raiden approached his body and placed his thumb on its fore head

“I do not know Korra” he replies as the body glowed blue and disappeared

“Will I ever see you again” she asked

“I do not know that either Korra, believe me, I would want nothing more than to remain here, but it cannot be, at least not now, not in this lifetime, maybe in an other” Raiden replied solemnly as she simply looked at him

Raiden and Korra stared at each other longingly. The forbidden couple, longing to touch one another, yet forbidden to do so. Longing told hold one another, yet forbidden from doing so. Longing to love one another, yet, forbidden from doing so.

Korra reached out her hand to hold Raidens, but, upon contact, it simply phased through his own.

“Goodbye, Korra, I love you” Raiden said sadly as his spirit began to fade away, until he disappeared.

Korra turned and left the room, not a tear was shed, for they were all spent.

The End

To be continued in
The Elder Scrolls I: Rise of the Sword-Runners