Chapter 6: War Plans-

Zuko's words hung in the throne room for minutes. All the others were deep in thought, figuring out if Zuko's strategy would be the best course of action for them.

"But we don't even know who she is, let alone where she is. Maybe Azula's finally lost it all the way." Sokka said, but Zuko shook his head. "No, Azula isn't working alone. She was there in my sight while Mai was killed. So she has an accomplice."

Aang nodded. Azula wasn't one for working alone. Every time they had seen her during the war she had Mai and Ty Lee by her side. With them she was always much closer to beating him. "But we still don't know where Azula is or how many people are working for her." Which was true, and going after her like that could be the end of them if they weren't careful.

"We may not know how many people she has with her, but there is a way to find where she is." Zuko replied. And from his pocket he pulled out an object wrapped in a torn up piece of cloth and began to unwrap it. The others leaned in to see what the object was, and once the cloth had been removed they saw the Fire Nation crown that had always been Azula's most prized possession. "We can track her with this the same way we tracked uncle with his slipper."

"That's brilliant Sifu Hot-man!" Aang shouted and Zuko's expression angered hearing the childish name. But he took in a deep breath. "I already sent a letter to Jun. Funnily enough she and Mai became good friends. She wants to help us find Azula." And everyone nodded. "See! I'm not the only one who can come up with a good plan!" Exclaimed Sokka, but no one gave it much care.

"When do we leave?" Katara asked, joining in the excitement. Going into battle was just the thing she needed to get her mind off everything else. Zuko stood up.

"We leave tomorrow at dawn."

~o.O.o~

Back in the dark room, the smell of smoke and molten metal filled the air, making it toxic and hard to breathe. Azula wore a cloth over her mouth and nose to protect herself while Toph was forced to choke down the toxic fumes and forced to stay awake during the torture. Azula had strung her from the ceiling, making her arms ache from the weight of her own pregnant body. First Azula whipped her, to add to the marks covering her already scarred back. At first the whip was only a leather strip covered in oil, but when Azula got tired of the reactions she moved onto a fire whip, and then finally the worst of them all, a whip of lightning. When Azula gave up with the whips, she moved onto other things. Stabbing was next, but this would have been much more torturous if it hadn't just been her arms and legs. Azula started at the heel, then made her way up to the hip with the knife, slowly dragging it along digging the blade in ever now and then. She did the same thing with the other leg and then the arms before moving over to the large smelting pot of molten metal.

"Please... No more... no more..." The ragged words barely formed a whisper, but they carried through the dark silence of the room. Azula didn't change her motion, pretending like she hadn't heard the words, but Toph knew that she had. She carefully dipped a stone cup into the boiling metal, filling it to just under the brim. Once it was filled Azula held it with a thick gloved hand, not wanting to burn herself and walked over to Toph. With her free hand she lightly brushed the hair from Toph's face before tipping the cup of metal ever-so-carefully so just one, red-hot drop fell from the cup to Toph's face. Immediately Toph screamed out in pain and Azula watched as the metal sizzled and replaced the skin. Once that drop had solidified into a shiny sliver dot, Azula tipped the cup again letting another drop fall.

"No, you will be broken into the most powerful person in the world."

~o.O.o~

Now Azula stood at the front of a large room filled to the breaking point with men and women from all nations wearing silver armor.

"The day has come for us to rule this world! Our leader is finally strong enough to overtake the Avatar and Firelord, and once our armies take over them then we shall over take the world!" She paused after each sentance letting the army cheer in agreement