Man Down?

Korra could barely register the sound of her thumping heart as she raced through the forest. She had long since run ahead of Aragorn, her athletic capabilities outdoing the Rangers by a longshot.

Soon, the Avatar came across what appeared to be ruins of an old structure of sorts. The soft and barely audible sound of whimpering drew her attention to a set of stone steps which led up to a seat where it sat atop four pillars.

Korra approached cautiously as her eyes raked her surroundings in search of the source of the noise. When she hadn't spotted anything, the water bender suddenly recalled having been told that the ring allowed the wearer to become invisible.

Though the concept was ridiculous, Korra had to constantly remind herself that magic was real in this world.

"Frodo?" she called out unsurely.

A sharp intake of breath was the only response she got before, out of nowhere, she felt herself get tackled by a small mass, causing her to tumble down the steps.

Korra barely had time to process that an unseeable body had landed beside her when she sensed an intense stare of an unknown being sweep across the ruins. She felt that it had focussed intently on the chair which had been previously occupied. She could've sworn that a blazing warmth emitted from the things gaze. It hadn't taken long for Korra to realise whose stare it belonged to... Sauron.

'He must be looking for the Ring!' she thought.

"Frodo, take off the Ring, now!" Korra commanded.

With a small grunt of effort, Frodo appeared next to the water bender, panting as if he was exhausted.

"Sauron," the hobbit's trembling voice whispered. "The closer he is to the Ring, the more desperate and stronger he gets...I was shown visions while wearing the Ring. Orcs flowed from the great chasms in the Misty Mountains. Armed Easterlings strode in their hundreds. Black ships manned by grim men sailed south. Sauron's forces... they're gathering."

Korra attempted to place a comforting hand on Frodo's shoulder but was surprised when the Ring-bearer flinched away.

"What is it?" the bender questioned.

Frodo shifted uncomfortably under the Avatar's expectant gaze.

"...it has taken Boromir. He couldn't resist it," the Hobbit answered, watching Korra's hand suspiciously.

"Hey, I literally can't fall to the Ring, remember? You've got nothing to worry about," the bender reassured as she held up her hands in surrender.

Frodo seemed to relax at her statement, if only by a margin.

Korra herself couldn't help but curse inwardly as Galadriel's words came to mind; one by one, the Ring will destroy them all.

A look of stubborn determination crossed the Avatar's face.

'As if I'd let that happen,' she thought.

Before the Ring-bearer could say anything more, Aragorn burst forth from some shrubbery, appearing wide-eyed and wary.

Frodo immediately tensed up again, watching the man with an unusually cautious eye as he approached.

"Frodo?" the Ranger asked, before addressing Korra. "What happened? Where is Boromir?"

"The Ring," the bender started, "it screwed around with Boromir's brain, so he tried to steal it from Frodo."

A pained look flashed across the man's face. He wanted to deny it, to demand Korra to stop lying, but he knew that, deep down, it was true; if only due to the fear which blazed brightly in the Hobbits eyes.

"...Where is it? Where is the Ring?" the Ranger questioned, praying to Eru that Boromir was unsuccessful in taking the Ring.

As Aragorn moved closer, Frodo retreated a few steps, yelling, "Stay away!", causing the man to freeze in shock.

"Frodo..." Aragorn's tone grew gentle while he slowly shifted towards the Hobbit. "I swore to protect you."

"Can you protect me from yourself?" Frodo questioned sternly and with as much courage as he could muster.

The Hobbit opened his previously clenched fist, revealing the Ring as it sat in his small palm. Despite the lack of any direct sunlight, the Ring glinted brightly and appeared almost as innocent as any normal trinket.

"Would you destroy it?" Frodo probed.

Though Korra knew the question wasn't addressing her, she found herself nodding in confirmation, as the sight of the Ring alone was more than repulsive. Aragorn, on the other hand, couldn't help but be drawn to its alluring shine.

Despite this, the man hovered his hand over the Ring for a few seconds before he closed Frodo's hand over the Ring, concealing it from sight once again

"I would have gone with you to the end...into the very fires of Mordor," Aragorn spoke softly while kneeling in front of the Hobbit.

"I know...Look after the others, especially Sam... he will not understand," Frodo stated mournfully.

"Umm, I hate to break up the sentimental moment," Korra cut through their conversation, staring into the forest with a deep frown, "but we've got a problem. Well, multiple problems actually... with swords."

Aragorn, now alert, was quick to draw his sword.

"Go, Frodo!" the man demanded.

Korra cracked a small smile at Frodo's hesitance.

"We'll be fine," she reassured before planting her fist in her open palm. "Those Orcs are as good as dead. Now go! Run!"

As Frodo retreated to the trees, he managed to catch a glimpse of the hundreds of Urak-Hai which flooded the ruins of Amon Hen, flanking his friends. He prayed for their safety.

With Frodo out of harm's way, Korra and Aragorn were able to focus on fighting. While the Ranger hacked into every Uruk-Hai which crossed his path, the Avatar sent an array of elemental attacks; burning, crushing, and blowing away as many of the vile creatures as she could.

Aragorn scaled the ruins as Korra stayed near the trees.

Just as the man was about to be decapitated, an arrow shot through the beast's head, killing it instantly. Legolas and Gimli burst forth from the trees, immediately surging into the battle.

"What took you two so long?!" Korra yelled, a playful smirk on her lips despite the situation.

"The lad got lost!" Gimli roared back.

The Elf in question gave a small laugh as he shot an Urak-Hai without looking.

"I believe it was you who got lost," the Elf retorted. "I had no idea your memory was akin to your height."

"Why you..." the Dwarf growled while swinging his mighty axe ferociously into an enemy's head.

Suddenly, the sound of a booming horn resounded through the forest.

"The horn of Gondor!" Legolas called.

"Boromir!" Gimli cried in despair.

More and more Urak-Hai's swarmed Amon Hen, preventing them from moving to Boromir's aid. It was clear that they would soon be overwhelmed.

Korra had to act fast!

"Aragorn! Do you think anyone would mind if I destroyed these ruins!" Korra hollered as she metal bent an Urak-Hai's sword to decapitate itself.

"No, I don't believe so!" the man cried back. "What do you have in mind?"

"Just get down when I tell you! Legolas, Gimli, you two as well! It's about to get real hot!"

Korra waited until they were backed up against the trees, when the Urak-Hai began to close in at a very fast pace, before she bellowed, "Now!"

Just as Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli crouched to the ground, Korra leapt over them, delivering a powerful round house kick which caused lava to burst from the ground and rain down on the foul beasts in a massive wave of molten rock.

The bender didn't have the time nor the patience to feel remorse, even as howls of pain rung throughout the clearing. Boromir was her first priority.

With most of the Uruk's dead, everyone made a mad dash to the Gondorian's location, with Legolas and Gimli guarding the rear just in case.

Horror broke onto Korra's face as Boromir came into view.

The man was on his knees as three, black arrows were embedded into his chest.

A horrid cry drew the woman's attention to Aragorn, who made quick work of the Uruk who shot the Gondorian.

Korra rushed over to Boromir, who leaned against a tree and clutched his chest in pain, quickly followed by Aragorn.

"They took the little ones..." the man wheezed out.

Korra quickly silenced Boromir as she analysed the severity of his wounds.

"But Frodo... Where is he?"

"...We let him go," Aragorn said softly.

The Gondorian's gaze shifted from the Ranger to Korra.

"Then you did what I could not... I tried to take the ring from him. Forgive me, I did not see...I have failed you all."

Guilt and regret swam in Boromir's eyes as he confessed this.

"No, Boromir. You fought bravely," Aragorn reassured while he desperately tried to tend to the wound.

"Leave it! It is over..." the injured man said dejectedly. "The world of Men will fall, and all will come to darkness, and my city to ruin, Arag-ahhhhhhh!"

Boromir was cut off as he was heaved off of the ground by Korra.

"You can talk later," the Avatar said hurriedly, "right after I patch you up."

The young woman hadn't given the man time to argue as she bounded into the forest in the direction of the river, carrying Boromir bridal style the whole way.

Once she reached the water's edge, Korra carefully placed the Gondorian into the water.

"What are you...?" Boromir began to ask but was shushed by the Avatar.

"Just shut up and let me heal you. You're distracting me."

Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas appeared from the trees behind the water bender, looking both confused and saddened.

The three Fellowship companions exchanged identical expressions of pity for the young woman, clearly misunderstanding the situation, before the Ranger spoke in a gentle voice.

"Korra...I understand that a friend's eminent death is hard to accept, but I assure you, there is nothing we can do..."

The man trailed off, and his, the Elf's and the Dwarf's looks of sympathy quickly morphed into awe.

...the water... it was glowing. Literally glowing.

Boromir, who lay submerged within the water, slowly felt the pain within his chest diminish.

The man glimpsed at his wound and watched in wonder as the glowing water gently removed the arrows from his injuries before the skin tissue began to knit itself together.

"What is this?" Legolas questioned aloud, mirroring the other's thoughts.

"One of the advantages of being a water-bender," Korra replied as she moved the cold liquid to her will.

Boromir came out of the water once it had returned to normal. The man stood at the rivers edge, completely dumbfounded as he uncertainly rubbed his newly mended skin.

The man's eyes watered as he shifted his gaze to the bender.

"Y-you saved me," Boromir choked out. "I am forever indebted to you."

"No, you're not, Boromir," Korra deadpanned. "After Moria, I told myself that I'd never let any one of you die... so, you can repay me by staying alive, alright?"

The man simply dipped his head in appreciation, unable to express how grateful he was.

"So," Gimli cut in, "you can make water glow too, 'ey lass?"

Legolas shook his head with a small smile, relieved at Boromir's miraculous recovery.

"We truly are blessed to have you as our companion," Aragorn said, almost breathless.

"I appreciate the compliment," Korra thanked, "but shouldn't we go after Merry and Pippin now?"

"What of Frodo and Sam? If we are quick, we can catch them before nightfall," Legolas started, however, when Aragorn didn't respond he continued, "You mean not to follow them..."

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," the man answered.

"Then it has all been in vain...the fellowship has failed," Gimli said mournfully.

"Not if we hold true to each other. Korra was right. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death, not while we have strength left...Leave all that can be spared behind... We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc," Aragorn finished firmly.

Korra almost applauded his mini-speech.

"Yes! Ha!" Gimli called triumphantly while twirling his axe.

"We'll make them regret taking our little Hobbits," Korra said as she pumped her fist into the air.

The four other's all nodded in agreement.

So, the five of them departed into the woods, determined to save their little friends, and wholly ready to rein down upon the stupid creatures who dared to induce their wrath.