Toph took a defensive stance, as she felt the footsteps of her quickly approaching enemies. There were seven sets of feet, pounding against the earth, six pairs pounded against the ground, hard and heavy, and strong, then there was one more person, at the lead of the procession. Toph could tell a lot about a person just by the way, that she felt them walk. When she first met Aang she 'saw' his personality before she'd said one word to him, she knew he was like laughing, happy, quick, excited, bubbly, light, and determined, but most of all just plain goodness, and innocence. Normally Toph wouldn't have taken off like that, from such a good soul, but she'd been so overcome with anger, and hatred, she didn't think twice about what she had 'seen'. The person at the lead's footsteps clashed with the feet following her drastically, these steps, were more… dainty? No dainty wasn't the right word. These steps were… feminine? Yes that's the word. They were less clumsy, than the men, and they were swift and agile. They were even more powerful though, pounding into the ground with an almost impossible force. These feet, were smooth, and swift barely making impact with the earth, but the little impact was so forceful it left scars deep under the weeds, and yellow grass. Everything about them screamed that their owner was lethal, like a cobra, quick, powerful, and deadly. The feet that made prints, in the dust, and dirt, they treaded, were small, to small to be a full grown woman's. They were the feet of a young girl, Toph realized with a start. The feet told the story of the girl's personality. She was angry, impatient, wasn't scared of anything, and she had this bizarre fire inside her that was so hot it was freezing cold, and emotionless, but something in the way she moved pointed to something deeper, passion, and intensity. It wasn't directed at anything, it was just, there, part of her. Even deeper than that, she was, yearning, misguided, and even stronger than on the outside. She was twisted. How can a girl only a year or two older than me be so much more… disturbed? Toph wondered. She kept her defensive stance, as the enemy, came closer and closer.
The six soldiers and the fire nation princess approached with cat-like stealth. They could see her outline through the trees. She was in a defensive stance, it wasn't a very advanced move, but Azula knew better than to underestimate her opponent, she knew that if the girl, was good enough to be the avatar's teacher, than she had to be skilled with her element. Skilled enough to kill. The group pounded through the forest, along the Mizuki River, and drew nearer with every step. As they got closer, Azula saw more details about the earth kingdom girl. She had short raven black put up in a head-band; she had blank pale blue eyes. She was clad in a simple earth-kingdom dress, green and white, with gold trim. Azula noted that the girl was barefoot. Simpleton. She thought to herself, as she got closer and closer, to the plain, enemy.
Toph knew they were there. Just beyond the tree-line. She knew that if she could see, she'd gaze through the trees that were barely concealing them watching their body's prowl, like predator creatures, circling their prey. She knew they'd see disgust plainly visible in her eyes. They dared to come closer, and she showed no fear, as one of them took the final steps toward her. It was the girl, only a couple feet away. The soldiers emerged from the trees, after their leader.
And the Battle began.
Azula was the first to make her move. She hurled a large fireball at the black haired girl.
Toph didn't see the fire, coming her way. Of course she didn't. She couldn't. But she could fee the burning hotness, and ducked just in time. She raised a dense wall of earth to protect her, as she launched boulders, over the wall, into the air, right at Azula.
The guards were advancing, to fight with their ruler's daughter, but as Azula neatly dodged Toph's earth attacks, she put up a hand to signal them to stop. She wanted to finish her, herself. Azula then proceeded; to quickly climb up the trees, to get an angel on the girl, that wall couldn't protect the earthbender from up there.
With Azula taking to the trees, instead of the ground, she went out of Toph's range of sight. She couldn't fight, without being able to see her opponent.
Azula smiled as she gazed contently upon her enemy's, confused, utterly broken expression. She knew without the use of the earth, the girl was truly blind, in every way, and she wasn't on the girl's element anymore. The girl was hopeless.
Toph knew the end was near, but she didn't care. She cared much more about the way her story would come to a close. It hurt to know she'd die weak, and helpless, crippled, just like she'd been trying to prove all her life she wasn't. Maybe if this is the way I die, then maybe it's a good thing, the Gangs not here to watch me fall. At least they'll remember me strong, not like this. She thought to herself as she waited for death.
Azula, conjured up lightning in the palm of her hand, and striked, the girl down, with a swift blow to the back. She almost regretted what she had done, when she heard, the last intake of breath from the Avatar's young master, and the dull thud of the body as it collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Almost.