A/N: I was happy to finally be done with chapter 2 honestly, not that I wasn't happy to be writing the story it was just that I let it take way too long. On the other hand, chapter 3 is something that I'm actually quite excited to write and I'm sure it's pretty obvious as to why! Adam and Azula have met and now we will get to see how this meeting actually goes down and I sure hope it doesn't disappoint. Lord knows I was so excited to be writing this chapter.

Not much was said after Adam put a stop to the little fight that had taken place outside of his tent, everyone moving to his own quarters as Azula made it clear that she just wanted to talk. He didn't really believe that but if there was a chance that they could get through this without anymore senseless conflict he would rather take this route. So here they sat, him across from her with a long table between them, each of their closest followers behind them. A single fire lit lamp between them that did a not so spectacular job of keeping the room well lit.

"Nice place, never did understand lighting like this though."

"Thanks…" Her tone was just way too at ease and joyful for someone that had taken such a violent approach just moments ago, she was definitely harder to define than her more upfront brother.

"There's no need to be short with me, Adam." Azula's eyes had been looking about the empty room but when she said his name they came right back to his face, not his eyes since they were concealed by his mask. "That's your name right?"

"That is what I just said." His jaws clenched as he spoke, her tone alone was enough to get him unsettled.

"And you, of course, know my name." A small smile crept onto her lips, a chill running down his spine at the sight.

"Princess Azula... of the Fire Nation." Even before this meeting it would be quite hard for him to forget someone like her. Back when he was in the Fire Nation military he could still recall the stories, the horror stories, from the older generals of what it was like to be in the presence of this little brat. If she didn't like the way you began a sentence she would have you banished or worse killed for such a thing, even as a younger woman her reputation got around.

"Please, you're a fellow firebender, there's no need for the formality." She closed her eyes, waving her hand as to try and rid the tension that was still clear in his voice.

"Well you did want a meeting with me, I'm just giving you what you want."

"Well that's not all I want, I want you to join me and my party." Adam was taken by surprise by her demand, leaning back in his chair as he gripped his chair's arms a little tighter.

"Right to the point, but I can't do that." Just the fact alone that she even tried to demand such a thing was just crazy to him, then again this whole situation was crazy so this did fit in its own way.

"What? You have to remain here in this slump?"

"You filth-" The hair on the back of the masked man's neck stood up as Soccik exclaimed, the young man leaping up from his own chair to face his follower.

"That's enough, Soccik!" Raising an arm he wasn't surprised to see the once seated men now both on their feet with the look to kill on each of their faces. However they respected him, so although they remained standing they did relax each of their expressions.

"Didn't mean to hit a nerve, I was just speaking the truth as I see it."

"Well…" Adam slowly turned back to be facing her again, "regardless of what you may think, this is where I have made a life for myself. It's where I wish to be, not working for the Fire Nation." He had seen his fair share of life in the Fire Nation and it wasn't something he was wanting back on his life.

"Adam, I respect your want to stick to what you wish to do, but I did not come here just to leave empty handed."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" What she said certainly hit a nerve, the young man gripping his sword's hilt as he removed a small bit of the blade. This action bringing Mai and Ty Lee to their feet as they were clearly ready for the battle that was seemingly upon them now.

"No, I'm smarter than to do something like that." Azula put her own hands up, but to calm her own followers who lost the tension from their own stances. "Rather… I'd like to challenge you, Adam Taurus, to an Agni Kai."

"An Agni Kai? And why should we consider that?" He may have been away from the Fire Nation for quite some time but he hadn't forgotten what an Agni Kai was. Although he only ever took part in scrimmages he had watched several legit duels between different generals or simply other soldiers who were on edge. This was not the sort of thing that should ever be taken lightly, and this situation only raised the stakes.

"Because, if we fight as we are now and I die the military of the Fire Nation will find you and kill you… you know that too, don't you?" It wasn't something he wanted to just admit but she was right, this acknowledgement finally getting him to relax and sheath the small bit of his sword that he had drawn.

"So if I kill you in an Agni Kai, they won't?"

"That's right, but of course if I win I get my own reward." The young woman finally got to her own feet, crossing her hands behind her back. "And we both know what I want, as I've already said it."

"I get it." Leaving this place was something he would prefer death over, especially when leaving meant joining the Fire Nation again but he didn't have a choice anymore.

"So, do we have a deal?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Boss… you can't-" He raised a hand to silence Sanrock.

"I accept, you'll have forty-five minutes to prepare." Azula bowed slightly before wasting no time in leaving the tent with her two followers not far behind her, part of the tension finally leaving the room. Adam letting his shoulders fall forward slightly as his gaze fell to the floor. This would be the second hardest fought battle in his entire life.

With the downtime that was given before the battle both parties chose to help themselves to some food so that they could relax. Adam, Soccik, and Sanrock were out of the tent and seated in the part of the village where most of the food was prepared for larger meals. Now though it was just the three of them, him and his most trusted companions. The food they ate was nothing to marvelous, just some soup that one of the village cooks was able to make on such short notice.

"Boss-" Sanrock spoke, placing his spoon down in his soup on the table that the three of them were sharing.

"Please, call me Adam." The young man chose to keep sipping on his soup while they spoke so that he could try and keep his mind off of what was ahead.

"Adam… you aren't actually going to go through with this are you?"

"It's already been agreed to, Sanrock." Sure, there was regret in his words as he thought back to the agreement that he made with her. At the time his adrenaline was pumping and he was on edge so the decision was such an easy one to make. Now though he was realizing just how much was at stake when he could no longer call this place home if he lost.

"I know but… she isn't going to be some pushover, there's a good chance that she could beat you." It was touching to hear the care in man's voice as he spoke.

"I'm aware, I wouldn't take the Princess of the Fire Nation lightly." He actually always did his best to never take anyone as some easy opponent but in this situation that wasn't something that was hard for him to do.

"Well we won't just let that happen, if we have to we'll come in and help you." Soccik finally spoke, and although what he said was clearly foolish it was also admirable.

"No, you won't. If you do that the consequences will be far more severe than just you losing your leader." Adam's tone became more strict as he responded, his leadership finally bleeding through as he wanted to make himself clear. He would not be the reason that so many people just senselessly lost their lives over nothing really. So if that meant killing a young woman or becoming her lapdog he would take it.

"I…"

"We just don't want to lose the only leader we've ever truly respected. I think that is where my friend is coming from." Sanrock placed a hand on his larger comrade's shoulder, a kind smile on his lips as what he said connected with their leader.

"I don't want any part of this," the young man lowered his head as he felt himself choke up on his words, "but unfortunately this is the situation we're in."

This drew the three of them to silence, only the sound of their soup being drank filling the area between them. Clearly none of them were fond of the bind that they were now in and each of them understood the gravity of what was to come. Sure, she said that if he won that nothing else would happen but that was hard to believe. Which made it very clear that even if he wanted to win this fight that the chances were against him.

"What should we do if you lose?" The question did have to be asked eventually.

"There's hundreds of people here, you'll just have to come together and survive. And even thrive with what has been made here." He meant exactly what he spoke. Over the last six months the growth of this place was impressive to say the least even if how it grew wasn't the most respectable way.

"Adam… you won't lose right? We'll all be there to support you." A little girl who couldn't have been older than six years old tugged on the back of his coat as she asked him in her worried voice. He could feel his body tense up at the thought that he was worrying not only his men but those that lived in the village as well. Trying to put on a smile though he turned around the face the young girl.

"I'll do my best, for each and every last person here." Adam placed a hand atop her head, this giving him a reminder of what exactly it was that he was fighting for.

The three girls sat outside of the village, resting on a large blanket that Mai usually carried as they ate dry meat that Azula overcooked. It wasn't like she meant to overcook it but using her flames for cooking is far different than how she usually uses it. It didn't really matter either way though, it would make do for the short amount of time that they had. Then it would be onto the main event.

"Azula, I don't understand why we're doing this?" Mai spoke up, her tone still lazy even as she was questioning her.

"Eating plain food? We didn't have enough funds on us to get more." The Princess took a rough bite out of the meat and did her best to scarf it down.

"No, I mean this whole ordeal. Why are we even bothering with this?"

"Yeah, we could just report this to the military. They often take care of strays like that Adam guy anyway." Ty Lee chose to put her own input in, and it wasn't really bad commentary either.

"Girls, we were defeated the last time we approached the Avatar and he was only a child." She closed her eyes and put the meat down on the blanket. "If we're going to accomplish anything we clearly need more forces on our side."

"Why don't we just get another expert from the Fire Nation itself?" Mai pushed further, and again the logic was there so it made sense to ask it.

"We could do that, and it would be easy. But isn't it obvious? This young man somehow found a way to form this whole group of his, and he's good enough to take care of whole villages as we saw." There was one way to impress Azula and that was through a display of power like what she saw in that burnt rubble that Adam had left behind. Even now she had a hard time getting the image of that place out of her mind. Before even seeing him he had left an impression on her and that alone was worthy of her attention.

"He's dangerous." Ty Lee added.

"Yes, but aren't we? We took a whole kingdom." A smile formed on her lips, almost as if the memory of conquest was something that she enjoyed to reminisce.

"What's your point?" It was just like Mai to get to the point like that.

"Adam is like us, young and talented. I don't want him rotting away in a cell or being killed because of his own stubbornness. No, he'll be better suited working with us." She hoped that her explanation was enough to put this topic to bed. In the end it was really more simple than that though, she was just curious about the young man really. And this next fight between them would really tell her what she wanted to know.

"I get it… but you're also putting yourself at risk-"

"Don't be silly, I don't lose." Azula's smirk returned to her lips as she cut Ty Lee off, picking up the meat again so that she could finish this meal and move onto what really mattered.

There Adam stood, outside of the village he made himself as most of its occupants looked on with a mixture of emotions clear on their faces. And why wouldn't they be in a situation like this? In just a matter of time they could be without a leader and with that no real direction to go in. This was what was on the young man's mind as he looked on at his opponent who wore a smirk that said she had no real care in the world although she was to be locked in combat.

Even though he had only met her this very day there was already something about the woman that just made his blood boil. His lips curling into a tight scowl as his jaws were clinched, his feelings on the surface even when he wore the mask that he did. Perhaps it was simply the threat that she posed that put him on edge like this. But something told him that there was more to it than that so he would keep that in mind.

"We've waited long enough-"

Before he could even begin to digest Azula's words she launched a burst of flames in his direction. The blue color that emitted from them took him off guard but this wasn't an attack he hadn't seen before. All he had to do was roll out of the way, and sure enough he dodged the attack just in time. However before he could catch his breath she was already right in his face.

He didn't have the time to react so he could only close his eyes but instead of flames he felt a swift kick slam up into his chin that sent him tumbling back through the dirt. Landing on his stomach he shook his head to try and clear the dizziness from his thoughts. Although he would hate to admit it she had a wide open shot to take him out and she just didn't take it. That meant that she was toying with him, which was all she had been doing with him since she had gotten here.

"Ever learn to keep your head up?"

Her words pierced his ears as her heel crashed down onto his skull stomping him back down into the sand.

"You can't be the one everyone talks about? Maybe it's one of your lackeys? Should I try that instead?"

Now she was mocking him, revealing that she didn't have much respect for the moment that she was in. Adam couldn't stand that. Here he was prepared to give his all and being tossed around by her so far and all she could do in return was belittle him like this? Heat filled his veins and rushed to his face, his left hand grasping his sheath hard enough to make him bleed.

With one swift motion he removed his sword, swinging hard up at Azula as she flipped back, in awe at the wave of flames that were sent out from the blade's swing. This finally gave him the time to get to his feet and then put his sword away into its sheath. He would have been lying if he said that pushing her back didn't feel good in some manner. However that didn't last long at all as he scanned the sand ahead of him for his opponent, her being nowhere in sight.

Then he felt a good amount of weight suddenly fall on his right shoulder, his head quickly snapping back and up as his eyes saw her. She was… standing on his shoulder. An animalistic grunt left him as he swung his shoulder back which sent her flipping through the air. However as he tried to send another wave of flames out at her from his sword she simply used her own firebending to propel her out of the way and back onto her feet on the sand.

She wasn't just a talented bender, she was quick and agile on a level that he had truly never seen before. Well… there may have been one another but that wasn't a memory worth bringing back in a moment like this. His footing was less confident than before, his stance turning to one of defense as he prepared his sword for her next attack. Without even being able to truly go on the offensive even once it was clear that he was going to have to take a different approach to this woman than what he was used too.

"Curious, curious." This time she sent a volley of blue flames his way, and in return Adam removed his sword to block each individual blast that was sent his way. Shock seeming to come over the face of the Princess as his blade was somehow absorbing whatever she was throwing at him. "Well well, how about this?" This time she swept a leg low, sending a wave of flames at his feet which forced him to leap into the air.

That had to have been her plan as she leaped into the air and swung a kick towards his gut. He was only quick enough to bring up his sheath to block the attack which sent him crashing back down into the sand. Then he barely raised his sword as yet another blue blast of flames came down and crashed into his weak defense. This sent him rolling back, dropping both his blade and its sheath as he landed on his back and felt the pain shooting through his body.

This wasn't just a tough battle, this was the hardest fight he had ever taken part of. Sure, not all of her attacks had made a hit on him but from the start all he had been able to do was go on the defensive. At this point he wouldn't be surprised if she just decided that she wanted to kill him instead, he was being made a fool after all. His own disappointment in his abilities making it hard for him to try and get up from his spot in the sand.

"Heh, you know… you have the looks of just a lousy colonial now that I've had a closer look."

That, that was what it took for him to at least jolt forward to a sitting position. Slouched forward he looked down at his lap… was it that obvious that she had been able to just notice that he was from the Fire Nation Colonies? After all the work he had put in it was still that clear? Nothing was going to be able to change that, no matter how hard he tried.

-flashback-

Adam landed hard on his back, the air knocked from his chest for the moment as he tried to sit up. But that effort was futile as his general stomped his boot down onto his chest. He would rebel and try and remove the boot from his chest but rebelling was already what brought him here. Then as he laid there a kick to the head sent his helmet flying off his head, him shooting a glance of anger up at the man responsible.

"You don't deserve to give me such a look, colonial." A hard slap stung his right cheek as the general again furthered his dominance over the young man. Really he should have seen this coming, he had watched before as others from the colonies would get treatment like this. Their parents and home villages didn't have the power to retaliate so why should their own be treated differently than those from the mainland?

Now he just left his head on its side, wanting this to be over so that he could move on with his day. However that wasn't going to be anytime soon and he knew that. Especially after he actually gave this general a reason to want and beat up on him like this. But he had no choice, he couldn't just stand there and watch some other colonial get bullied like that.

So, although he would indeed lay there and take punches to the gut, slaps to the face, and kicks to the side to him it would be worth it since he was taking the fall and not her. The general almost seemed to be impressed by how silent Adam had been in the beating he had took, even offering the beaten boy a hand up. He was reluctant to take the help but in the end it would lead to less trouble and he knew that. Remaining silent he took the hand, feeling a part of him slip away as he was pulled up this feet.

"Now, don't speak up like that again." The general gave him a nod before turning his back and heading for the exit of the courtyard they had been in. Adam had been so prideful to do that for his fellow colonial but now he was standing there a broken and belittled boy for simply doing what was right. Was doing the right thing even worth it in a place like this? He wouldn't have the time to finish that thought as the general spoke one last time. "You're a good soldier, and you have good spirit. Turn it into something and let go of that pesky colonial attitude."

-flashback over-

But he wasn't able to let go of this part of himself. That was why Azula was able to so easily locate it now in the midst of their one-sided battle. However he couldn't just let his mind wander on that, he had to find a way back into this fight. He had to pick himself back up and do what was right for all those that he was currently fighting for.

This wasn't a battle of ideals or a battle of what it meant to be who he was, rather he was doing this so to help those that believed in him. People actually believed in him so he couldn't just let them down, after all these situations didn't happen everyday. That much being clear with his back in the sand as he tried to motivate himself to move.

"Maybe I'll just kill you instead."

Jolting back to life Adam leaped up to his feet and dashed forward, picking up his weapons as he brought a hard slash down onto Azula. She just leaped out of the way though and sent another blast of flames his way. This time he was ready for this kind of reaction though as he brought up his sword and sheath, absorbing the flames. Then before she had time to react he leaped forward and instead of a tradition move with his sword he quickly unsheathed the sword which sent the butt of the hilt into her chin.

Finally she was sent reeling back with a hand on her chin, trying to regain herself as he sheathed his blade yet again. It was nothing more than a mere jab but what it meant was so much more. That there was more fight in him whether she liked that or not and he wasn't just going to go away. She must have realized this as a scowl appeared on her face, another round of shots being fired in his direction.

He would absorb the first into his sword, then roll away from the second and block the third with his sheath before absorbing another shot of fire. This process would repeat itself too for another few rounds until she seemed to need a moment to catch her breath. That wasn't something he could lend to her in a fight like this though as he jumped into the air above her. Spinning around he built up momentum before coming down hard with another over the head blow from his sword aimed right at her again.

Using one hand to shoot flames at him in order to slow his attack she also used her other to propel herself away from him. Sure, his attack missed as he landed back on his feet atop the sand be was successful in absorbing more flames from her so there was that to take away from this. He had hardly said a word since this battle had begun, and now here they were staring down one another with expressions set to kill. All it took was his own motivation for him to both get serious and give himself a chance in this nearly impossible battle.

She would make the next move as she sent a blast of flames at him again, but this time her aim was at his feet so to force Adam to leap out of the way of the attack. He picked up on her advances and knew this was to create an opening for herself though which was why he was able to bring up his sheath to block the majority of the damage from the wide kick she tried at his side. So before she could retaliate to his block he dropped the sheath and wrapped his fingers around her ankle. Shock evident on her face as she was pulled forward, the butt of the hilt of his sword crashing hard into her cheek.

This would cause her to kick away from him, Azula now being her own bit of a mess as he picked his sheath back up and put his sword back into it. If he was going to have any chance of actually winning this fight it would be right here and now while he still had her on edge. Knowing this he took a wide stance and bent his knees, grasping hard onto his weapons as his hands heated up. He was preparing a technique that he had come up with himself, his emotions, his own bending ability, and the absorbed bending all being welded into one massive attack in his sword.

"Well, are just going to stand there and pose at me or are you going to do something?"

She was trying to trick him into attacking so that he would reveal an opening to her, however in this instance he was happy to play along. "You shouldn't have asked for that." Quickly, he pulled out his sword, the red blade now scolding hot as flames seemed to be pouring off of it. Part of him felt bad, knowing what was about to happen as he looked ahead and saw the look of awe on the face of the Princess. He had to act though, so he rose his blade over his sand and struck it down into the sand as hard as he physically could in her direction.

Flames erupted forward, consuming everything ahead of them with a wide radius. The eruption of flames and energy was so much that it was even able to knock Adam back who rolled a few times before quickly making his way back to his feet. He knew that the pain would certainly set in once his own adrenaline wore off but that didn't matter. There was no way that even someone as talented and as skilled as Azula could possibly have dodged or survived an attack as massive and powerful as that.

"Azula!" His attention was pulled from the flames immediately though, his eyes falling on the two girls who had been with her when they arrived. Terror and anguish, along with any other negative emotion was all over their faces as they looked on at what had consumed their leader whole. It wasn't hard for him to put himself in their shoes either. If he had been the one on the receiving end of the final blow his own followers, those who were counting on him, would have had a similar response.

Even someone as malicious as her was a human, the thought of this being enough to even bring tears to his eyes. Then the ground shook as a loud, unbelievably loud thunder clap rung out into the area. Adam was nearly taken off his feet as a bolt of lightning shot out and into the sky, his massive wall of flames splitting as a unscathed Azula stood with one hand forward. His eyes wide in astonishment as he had both never seen anything like that and could not believe that such a powerful attack was just negated.

Now wasn't the time for him to be awestruck though, as he pulled the trigger on his sheath. She had put up one hell of a fight, and was hands down the superior of the two but that last strike must have took her energy as his launched sword bounced off her head. With the sword spinning through the air and the Princess being sent crashing down to the sand below he spent no time just standing by as he rushed forward as fast as he could. Then as he caught his sword in one hand and stomped his boot down onto her shoulder to keep her pinned there he was, his blade raised for the final strike.

There… was always that moment of hesitation though. Even when he knew that he had to do it he couldn't just senselessly murder another. And that would be the last mistake in this battle as she quickly spun herself up from the sand by kicking off the ground and sent him toppling back. As he tried to recover another bolt of lightning shook the ground they fought on, this one connecting with sword and sending it far away from the two of them.

A knee went hard into his chest as she pushed him down into the sand, two fingers pressed hard against his neck as her smirk finally returned to her lips. With that his own shoulders slumped down, his body weakening as he accepted what this meant. "I win, Taurus."

A/N: Woo! Chapter 3 is done and it is by far my favorite chapter of this fanfic so far. So much drama, intensity, and action! I really hope that it didn't disappoint and I hope the action was as fun to read as it was to write. So… Adam has lost which means that Azula is getting exactly what she wanted, as usual I suppose. This fanfic is far from over though, I hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a comment if you loved the chapter!