Sokka sat with other fighters behind the cover of a tank as they planned out the next phase of the battle. Looking up, Sokka got to his feet at the sight of his family. "Dad! You're on your feet again." Katara helped their father to sit down within the circle, an arm wrapped cautiously around his waist.

"Thanks to your sister. I'm in no shape to fight, but maybe there's some way I can help."

"Everything's going smoothly, and the eclipse hasn't even kicked in yet," Sokka assured his father as Katara glanced up at the sky.

"Let's hope our luck holds out," Hakoda sighed before noticing Katara walking away. "Katara, you seem distracted. Is something wrong?"

"Yeah. Is that . . . is that Aang?" Katara asked, staring up.

"What?" Sokka gasped, getting to his feet. Aang dodged several fireballs before landing in front of the group. "Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down," Sokka pleaded, though he knew he was just kidding himself.

"He wasn't home. No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned," Aang informed the group, looking disturbed.

"They knew," Sokka gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

"It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long-gone; far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse."

"No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker; somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation," Sokka argued, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"If it's an underground secret bunker that we're looking for, I'm just the girl to find it," Toph spoke up, pointing to herself.

Sokka nodded before pulling out a clock from his pocket. "The mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about ten minutes until the full eclipse. Ten minutes to find the Fire Lord."

"We can still do this. We can still win the day," Aang agreed, nodding at Sokka.

"Wait! If they knew we were coming it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure we all get out of here safely," Katara interjected, glancing around at the others.

"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it," Hakoda piped up from the ground, a determined look in his eye.

Sokka nodded before turning to Aang. "What do you think? You're the one that has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

Aang stood up, turning to face the volcano. "I've got to try," he decided, staring ahead.

Aang, Toph, and Sokka hurried to climb onto Appa before flying ahead of the invasion force. Aang directed Appa to land on the side of the volcano before the three of them slid off. "Do you feel anything down there?" Sokka asked Toph as she placed her hands on the ground.

"Yep. There are natural tunnels crisscrossing through the inside of the volcano."

"Anything else? Is there a structure somewhere?" Sokka questioned, standing behind her.

Toph dug her fingers farther into the volcanic surface, feeling around more with her seismic sense. "There is something big, dense, and made of metal deep in the heart of the volcano."

"Sounds like a secret bunker to me," Sokka agreed as Toph stood up. She quickly earthbended a hole into the side of the volcano before rushing forward, Sokka and Aang close behind her.

Toph led the way through the tunnels and obstacles before they finally approached the Fire Lord's chambers after quickly threatening a Fire Nation citizen for the information. "Only thirty seconds until the total eclipse," Sokka warned Aang as they ran through the halls towards a set of large doors.

"I'm ready. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord," Aang stated with a determined look in his eye. With a wave of his staff, he knocked down the doors with his airbending. Leading the way into the chamber, Aang paused as he recognized the figure sitting on the throne. And it wasn't Fire Lord Ozai.

"So, you are alive after all," Azula spoke with a smirk from her spot on the throne. "I had a hunch that you survived. But it doesn't matter. I've known about the invasion for months." Aang shared a horrified look with Sokka and Toph at Azula's confession.

*|*|*|*|*

Zuko opened the doors to the chamber, walking in as his father took a sip of tea. Ozai raised an eyebrow as he spotted his approaching son. "Prince Zuko? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to tell the truth," Zuko stated before stopping in front of Ozai's guards.

"Telling the truth during the middle of an eclipse. This should be interesting," he muttered before dismissing his guards.

Zuko waited for the guards to disappear through the door before speaking. "First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me."

"Why would she lie to me about that?" Ozai scoffed, looking bored.

"Because the Avatar's not dead. He survived," Zuko revealed, causing Ozai's eyes to widen in shock.

"What!?"

"In fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here right now," Zuko warned as Ozai got to his feet.

"Get out! Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you!"

"That's another thing. I'm not taking orders from you anymore," Zuko replied firmly as Ozai grew angrier.

"You will obey me, or this defiant breath will be your last!"

"Think again. I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen," Zuko snapped, pulling out his dao swords. Ozai begrudgingly sat down, looking rather dismayed at the changed power dynamic. "For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you."

Zuko lowered his swords, glaring at his father. "You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn." He pointed a sword at Ozai as his voice grew louder. "My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How could you possibly justify a duel with a child!?"

"It was to teach you respect!"

"It was cruel! And it was wrong."

"Then you have learned nothing! Just like your sister," Ozai spat as Zuko narrowed his eyes.

*|*|*|*|*

Sokka chased after Aang and Toph as they fought the Dai Li agents. Azula still managed to avoid them, slipping around Aang and Toph's bending attacks. Turning another corner, Sokka was hit with a realization that had him stopping in his tracks.

"Wait! Aang! Toph! Stop attacking!" Sokka warned, causing the other three teenagers to stop in front of him. "Don't you see what she's doing? She's just playing with us. She's not even trying to win this fight!"

"Not true. I'm giving it my all," Azula sighed, resting her hands on her hips.

"You're trying to keep us here and waste all our time!" Toph snapped, pointing at Azula.

"Um, right, I think your friend just said that genius. And since you can't see, I should tell you I'm rolling my eyes," Azula replied, dramatically rolling her eyes before smirking.

"I'll roll your whole head!" Toph snapped angrily as Sokka walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"She's just baiting you again."

"Okay, so what do we do, just ignore her?" Aang asked, turning to Sokka.

"We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow," Sokka announced before turning to leave, Aang and Toph following after him.

"It's a trap. Don't say I didn't warn you," Azula drawled, causing Aang and Toph to pause.

"Ignore!" Sokka yelled over his shoulder as Azula smirked.

"So, Sokka's your name, right? My sister would mention you all the time," Azula drawled, catching Sokka's attention. He turned around, staring back at Azula. "She was convinced that you would be the one to come rescue her," Azula taunted as Sokka clenched his eyes shut, tears leaking through at the thought of Azara.

"Oh, you thought you were going to find her here, didn't you? That's so sweet. Of course, you won't, but I can give you this to remember her by," Azula continued, pulling the gold bracelet out of her pocket. Sokka stared at the bracelet, the remaining breath leaving his body as his eyes landed on the dangling cactus charm.

"She won't be needing it anymore. She has her fiancé to buy her useless jewelry. Arranged marriages, you know how it goes," Azula shrugged as Sokka's expression broke further. "She used to wear it all the time, but when you didn't come to save her, she took it off. You broke her heart, and she gave up on you." Azula's smirk widened before she dealt the final blow. "The boy she loved."

At her final phrase, Sokka charged forwards, screaming as tears streamed down his cheeks. Azula smirked as he approached, lowering her head slightly. "Come and get it." She pulled a blade out of her sleeve as Sokka drew closer. Toph's eyes widened, sensing the attack, before she earthbended Azula back against the wall. Azula grunted as Sokka reached her, slamming her back into the wall.

"Where's. Azara?" Sokka demanded, enunciating each syllable with a snarl as he glared into Azula's soul. She merely smirked back at him, her plan falling right into place.

*|*|*|*|*

"I've come to an even more important decision," Zuko stated before closing his eyes and pausing for a moment. "I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Really? Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless. You've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?" Ozai taunted, waving his arms out to the sides.

"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny." Zuko slid his swords back into his scabbard before turning to leave. "Goodbye."

"Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll only do it during the eclipse. If you have any real courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out. After all, don't you want to know what happened to your sister? It's rather similar to your mother's story, actually."

Zuko stopped in his tracks before turning around to face his father. Ozai smirked as Zuko took a step towards him. "Where's Azara?"

"She's alive. For now. Which is more than a generous concession on my part considering she attempted to murder me," Ozai huffed, his lips curling into a sneer.

"What are you talking about?"

"In the middle of the night, she tried to sneak into my room and kill me with a poisoned knife," Ozai revealed as Zuko narrowed his eyes, clearly confused.

"You're lying."

"I'm not. Though clearly, your sister was taking notes from your mother with how she acted. Brought back memories of the last night your mother was here."

"What happened that night?" Zuko demanded, glaring over at his father.

"My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son, and I was going to do it. Your mother found out and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne, and she proposed a plan, a plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared."

*|*|*|*|*

"Where is she!?" Sokka yelled as Azula tilted her head to the side.

"You know we're twins, right? Does it bother you how much we look alike?" Azula jabbed as Sokka growled in frustration.

"Tell me where she is!" Sokka seethed as Aang and Toph ran over.

"Guess you really do care about her," Azula sighed dramatically, looking away for a moment. "Too bad you'll never see her again."

More tears burst from Sokka's eyes at Azula's statement as he slammed his hand into the wall. "You're going to tell me where she is or I'll—"

"—Sokka she's baiting you!" Aang interjected, grabbing Sokka's shoulder.

"Where are you keeping her!?"

*|*|*|*|*

"Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished."

"So, she's alive?" Zuko questioned, a tear dripping down his cheek.

"Perhaps. Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason. Your sister proved that fact. Your penalty will be far steeper," Ozai warned, closing his eyes for a split second before quickly generating lightning and firing a bolt at Zuko.

Zuko raised his hands to block the shot, sliding back from the impact of the lightning, before redirecting it back at Ozai. An explosion went off, causing Ozai to slam back into the wall, flames surrounding him from the blast.

*|*|*|*|*

"Oh, sounds like the firebending's back on," Azula stated before kicking her leg in an arc, sending a blast towards Sokka. He jumped back to avoid the attack as Azula back flipped onto the wall and broke Toph's earth cuffs from her wrists. She sent a fire blast at Aang, who stepped forward, and blocked the shot.

Azula rose to her feet and smirked at the trio. "Dad's all the way at the end of the hall then down a secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to see you now," she spoke before turning and running off.

Sokka walked over to the bracelet Azula had discarded. He bent down and picking up the familiar gold band, his thumb rubbing over the cactus charm. "I fell for it. I used up all our time!" Sokka sighed, lowering his head in shame.

"It's not your fault, Sokka. Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out," Toph pointed out as Sokka stood up.

"And now it's too late."

"Maybe it's not too late. The eclipse is over. But I can face the Fire Lord anyway," Aang suggested, but Sokka shook his head.

"No. I don't think that's a good idea."

"But I'm ready! I came here with a job to do and everyone's counting on me," Aang argued back, gripping his staff tightly.

"The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time. We thought we had surprise on our side, but we didn't. It just wasn't our day. What we need to do now is go and help our friends," Toph spoke calmly as Aang lowered his head.

"I guess you guys are right."

"You'll have another chance. I know you will," Sokka promised, placing a reassuring hand on Aang's shoulder.

*|*|*|*|*

Ozai paced in his chamber when an official ran into the room. "Status report, immediately!" Ozai snapped as the official bowed hastily.

"The Avatar and a few others got away on the sky bison. We're arresting the other fighters right now and preparing to send them off to prison."

"Good."

Ozai turned around, dismissing the official, who hurried to run out of the room. To his left, the door opened, and a Dai Li agent ran through the door, dropping to his knee as Ozai turned to glare at him. "We have the weapon ready for you, Fire Lord."

"Bring her in," Ozai demanded, his hair still askew from Zuko's redirected lightning. "Now!"

The Dai Li agent bowed before motioning for the other Dai Li agents to bring in the weapon. A figure draped in dark robes walked in between two Dai Li agents, a hood covering most of their features, save for a pair of gold eyes. Ozai glared at the figure, searching for any signs of resistance, of rebellion. But the figure merely walked forwards and kneeled before him.

"How will I know this will hold?" Ozai snapped at the Dai Li agent, who shrunk away from him.

"We put her through the most intense regimen we could, Your Highness," the Dai Li replied, bowing slightly.

"That doesn't answer my question! How will I know that your regimen will hold? I did not spare her life for nothing!"

"Your Highness, even when working with the ordinary regimen, the results hold except under extenuating circumstances. We put her through the same regimen tenfold. It would take an extreme reaction or memory to bring her out of this. And any more treatment would risk damaging her mind completely, which would harm her firebending capabilities."

"Very well," Ozai huffed, standing up and marching over to the figure. "I have a task for you."

"My only duty is to serve the Fire Lord," Azara spoke in a monotonous manner, her dull eyes staring up at him.

"You are to find the Avatar and bring him to me. I'm not making the same mistake again."

"My only duty is to serve the Fire Lord," Azara repeated before standing up and walking out of the room, drawing her hood further over her head.

"Should we inform Princess Azula of—"

"—No!" Ozai snapped, glaring at the Dai Li agent. "Princess Azula is to know nothing about this! Apparently, my children become pathetic and sappy when it comes to their siblings. I will not allow emotion to derail this mission!"

A.N. So, yes, I know I'm evil for that little bit between Azula and Sokka. And for the last bit here with Azara being turned into an assassin. But the fluff scenes are quickly on the way!

Thanks for reading, voting, and commenting!