Chapter Twenty Five: Checkmate
Back in Ba Sing Se, Azula, with the help of the Dai Li, went on and unseated the Earth King, claiming Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation. Just as Zuko has expected, Long Feng got nothing out of his deal with Azula. The Avatar barely escaped, receiving a lethal lightning strike while in the Avatar state. Azula thinks he's dead, the generals think he's dead, but not Zuko. Zuko knows that the waterbender girl is a healer; he knows she took some of the spirit water from the North Pole, and he knows this water has special properties. Zuko's agents got orders to not interfere and remain undercover.
Azula is on her way to his palace, her palace now. He is on his way to the highest security prison in the Fire Nation: the Boiling Rock. Of course, Azula has ordered a special cell for him; a one he couldn't escape. Apparently, Azula's conspiracy included some of his high ranking generals and ministers who led the coup at home. She has finally gotten her revenge, but Zuko wasn't mad. Zuko was satisfied. It's all going according to plan. He needs to survive the storm. The Avatar is still alive, and he won't stop until he defeats the Fire Lord. Zuko now has no way of tracking him down, and soon enough he will be knocking on the palace's front door. This is the endgame. This is the storm.
"Ah home!" Azula barged into the Fire Lord's chamber, her chamber. She sat where the Fire Lord sits, and a curtain of fire rose in front of her.
"Your majesty." The War Minister, who led Azula's coup in the Fire Nation, made his way into the chamber of the Fire Lord as he bowed.
"Qin, I need all the generals and ministers in here immediately." Azula ordered, and so was done. All generals and ministers were in her chamber. "Pledge your loyalty to me." She demanded, and all generals and ministers bowed to her.
She is Fire Lord Azula.