Author's Note: I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender" or anything related to it. I do, however, own my characters. If you steal them or borrow them without my "Yes." I will hunt you down. Thank you for your time. Oh, and if you do not like this, you don't have to read it! I will not force you or beg you.

Dedication: This story is dedicated to Sayko and Mara. Both are my buddies, sister-figures, and great people to talk to. This story is for you guys! And to my: readers, reviewers (Firework and Typewriterman especially), and friends.

-Shadows Swallows Her-

Avatar Artymis sighed deeply. I can't take them all down…

Artymis, hang on a little longer! Zuko begged as he watched his beloved look on with no hope.

There's too… many. Katara thought as she kept her octopus moving.

… This glorious day in Fire Nation history… Azula couldn't help but think.

I can't do this… Artymis fell on her knees in defeat, staring at the ground. She shut her eyes as tears rolled down. I can't stand up to them and I can't save my best friend's - my sister's life. I can't do this… Its over…

"How pathetic," Azula crossed her arms, shaking her head. Zuko side-glanced at his sister. "The Avatar takes one look at us and she breaks down like a crying infant." Zuko wanted to kill his sister, but he resisted the urge. "Geez, you haven't even gone up against the Fire Lord and you're chickening out."

She's right, the Avatar thought. She's right. I'm a coward. I let the whole world down… again.

"… I don't know what you saw in her, Zuko." Azula said.

"Something you probably refuse to see," Zuko muttered.

Azula glanced at him.

"You always love doing this, don't you, Azula?" Zuko muttered. "Right before you take out your favorite victim, you make them feel worthless and terrible about their life - whether its true or not."

"Of course I do," His sister said. "They don't feel so bad about death."

Zuko glanced over at Artymis and wished so much to embrace her tightly and say sweet things to comfort her.

"I'm so glad though that we get one little pest out of the way. After Sozin's Comet and this little conquer, the Fire Nation will be able to not only control the Earth Kingdom, but we'll be able to take down the Water Tribes and have control for once and for all."

Zuko looked at his sister and at the Dai Li from the corner of his eye. His eyes darted from the tired waterbender to the Avatar, and back to his sister. Azula was smirking and had a relaxed posture.

"She's not going to fight back, and why should she?" The princess had a proud smile on. "The world's last hope is a child who can't do anything to help herself or her friends." Her gaze focused on the Avatar's weeping figure.

Artymis could hear Azula perfectly well but she didn't bother fighting her.

"Now as for her friends, I must say they're not as much of a thorn in the Fire Nation's side with her gone. Though, for precautions, they must be eliminated. Starting with her." Azula turned towards the fighting waterbender, lighting a blue flame in her palm.

Artymis looked up and followed Azula's gaze to Katara; she was ready to launch a fireball on her sister. The Avatar had enough of Azula now, she wasn't going to let others pay for her foolish and childish ways. "LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!!" She shouted in an unearthly voice. She stood up, glaring at Azula. A wind picked up around her and her eyes glowed. Her arms were covered in glowing vines and roses. "THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO YOU!!"

Katara stopped and turned around to see where the source of intense light and fearsome voice was coming from. She saw her sister in the Avatar State. "I know you can do it," She whispered, hope lifting in her chest.

The Dai Li and the firebenders backed up a few steps. Artymis threw her arms in the air and the ground beneath all the Dai Li shook violently. Azula and Zuko held their ground but it was quite difficult. The wind was quite strong around them and the water in the channel and the waterfall began to bubble and heat could be felt if one was near it. The crystals in the room shattered. Katara shield herself from the flying sharp pieces with her water bending while the others had to use the earth or walls of fire. Artymis waved her arms around, commanding the elements around her.

No! Azula glared at the Avatar. No way am I going to let this girl drown my efforts and my country!

Zuko stared at the Avatar. She seemed so enraged and terrifying in this state. He didn't know if it was the same fifteen-year-old girl he fell in love months ago. Just take your friend and get out! He begged. I'll send word to you as soon as I can. Just get out! He looked over his shoulder to see his sister, looking infuriated.

"There is no way your ex-girlfriend is going to beat me!" The princess declared. She shifted into firebending stance, focusing at the Avatar.

Zuko's eyes widen when he realized her intention. "Azula!" He shouted, advancing towards her.

"Out of my way, Zuzu!" She bellowed, building up her bending. She slid her foot forward and extended two of her fingers towards the Avatar.

There was a flash of lightning.

Sokka and Toph returned to Anduril and Appa, who had just landed when they called out for them.

Did you find them? Anduril asked.

Sokka shook his head.

"We couldn't find them," Toph sighed heavily. "We checked the whole palace."

The King looked downward. It was quiet for a minute when the silver dragon roared in pain.

"ANDURIL!" The earthbender cried out. She rushed to him. "What is it?"

"Is he in pain?" The King asked and looked around. "No one is here but us."

Sokka tried to calm the dragon down with Toph. "Come on, boy, tell us: Where does it hurt?"

It hurts..! Anduril tried to say, shutting his eyes and thrashed about in pain. All over! Too much!

The kids had to cover the sides of their head because his voice was too loud.

"Don't worry!" Toph said, "We're right here!"

Anduril tried to thank them but he couldn't because of the intense pain.

Azula smirked confidently as the smoke rose from her two fingers. Zuko stared at the scenery. Katara gasped when she saw what had happened.

Artymis' writhed in pain. She shut her eyes and the glows on her body disappeared. Her standing became unbalanced and she fell onto the ground on her side, breathing in raspy gasps. It hurt for her to even breathe. She opened her eyes, which had turned back to their green color, and stared straight at the one person that was in her line of sight: Zuko. She looked at him, her expression of betrayal and pain. She gasped in pain and shut her eyes. She slipped into the shadows which swallowed her.

Zuko shook his head. No, no, no! It wasn't suppose to happen like this!

Tears rolled down Katara's cheeks as she watched her friend die. Her chest heaved and her fists shook with fury. No… please… not Art…. She turned her body away, wishing it was all a dream. She knelt down and swirled the water around her. I'm not leaving anyone behind. She stood up and bended a large wave and rode on top of it.

The Dai Li and the royals turned around to see the oncoming wave and had no time to react. The wave rolled over them, efficiently washing them away. Katara landed on the ground on all fours when the wave dissolved. She ran to Artymis, holding her close.

"Artymis." She whispered, "Come on, wake up." She softly shook her. "You just got hit, right? You just got hit…" Her sister didn't wake up. Katara stopped and let the death finally sink in. She shook her head, "No! You can't leave! You can't die on us - we need you! Wake up, wake up!" Tears fell down her cheeks, she shook her head. This is just a dream! She thought, Art's gonna wake up. Its not like Mom….

She held her close, looking up hopelessly. The prince and princess recovered from the wave. They began to advance towards Katara. Katara stared at them with sorrow, she closed her eyes, wishing her doom would be swift and painless. There were cries of surprise when a fire blast hit the ground in front of the waterbender. Katara glanced up to see Iroh, broken free from his crystal trap, standing on a cliff in firebending stance. She gave him a hopeful look. Iroh, who had seen the recent event, could not stand by and let shadows take another innocent. He jumped off the cliff and landed between the two girls and his niece and nephew.

"You've got to get out of here!" Iroh told her, "I'll hold them off as long as I can!" He turned around to see she hadn't move at all and was still weeping. "Go! Get to safety!"

Katara opened her eyes and nodded her head before dragging Artymis away towards the waterfall.

Iroh threw punches to his left and right, shooting fire blasts at the Dai Li. He defended himself against the stone gloves from the Dai Li. Iroh threw more fire blasts and kept the attackers away from the two girls. He would glance over at them, seeing if they were in any trouble. He felt relieved when the waterbender reached the waterfall. She threw him a thankful look before proceeding with her escape.

Katara bended the water to form a rising and twisting current. She held onto her friend. She looked at Iroh. "Thank you." She whispered before lifting herself and Artymis upward.

Iroh sent a wave of fire from his fingertips before glancing again at the girls. Once he saw they were out of danger and succeeded with their escape, he ceased his attacks and quietly surrendered, lowering his hands. Two Dai Li agents bended crystals around him.

Zuko stared at his uncle blankly, not knowing what to say or do. Nothing had gone like he thought it would (of course, he didn't tell his uncle his real reason on joining Azula) and now his uncle was a prisoner and Artymis was dead. Zuko made eye contact with Iroh, who looked at him for a moment before turning his head away sadly. He didn't say anything to him.

"Take my uncle away," Azula smiled confidently. She had killed the Avatar, seized Ba Sing Se, Zuko had joined her, and had her tea-loving uncle arrested. No one, especially Artymis, was going to ruin this day for me.

Katara dragged Artymis away from the palace. She looked around wildly, afraid for the first time in her life. She nearly screamed when she saw her brother and Toph.

"Katara, where were you?!" Sokka ran up to her. He stopped when he saw his sister's crying and frightened face and his dead friend. He shook his head.

"Sugar Queen, what happened?" Toph caught up to them. She stopped when she felt Katara and Artymis, but only one of them was breathing. "Artymis…" She muttered, finally understanding. She stormed past them, "I'm gonna kill someone!"

Sokka held her back. "We can't do anything right now - we need to go!"

"No!" Toph shouted, "I'm not leaving until they pay the price!"

Sokka lifted her up and hurried back to Appa and Anduril. Toph struggled and demanded to be put down. Sokka didn't put her down until they reached their friends. Katara laid Artymis on Appa and turned to Anduril.

"Anduril?" Katara said in a shaky voice. She looked at him. "I'm sorry if I couldn't protect her…"

Anduril opened his eyes and saw his dead little sister. He gave a mournful sound before talking to Katara. Its not your fault, its not your fault…

"Guys," Sokka managed to calm Toph down a bit. "We gotta go. Are you able to fly, Anduril?"

Yes. But we'll have to stop - or at least I have to. Anduril strained to say.

"We'll figure something out," Sokka lifted his sister up on Appa.

In silence, Appa and Anduril took flight into the night sky. The King sighed when he found out the news of the Avatar and his kingdom. "The Earth Kingdom… has fallen." He said in a hopeless voice.

Azula sat in the throne room, on her new throne. She was quite pleasant with the events that evening. She glanced at her brother, who stood by her, looking a bit miserable. Azula rolled her eyes and said with great satisfaction:

"We've done it, Zuko. We've taken over Ba Sing Se. For a hundred years, the Fire Nation had failed attempts, but now we've conquered it!"

"I betrayed Uncle." Zuko said regrettably. "And…"

"Artymis?" Azula asked. He was quiet. "Please, Zuko. She and Uncle betrayed you. Uncle should've joined us instead of helping the enemies. Artymis is your enemy - always has and always will be. She was just using you so that when she took down the Fire Nation, you would betray your family and help her bring our country down." She paused, "When you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."

"I don't have the Avatar," Zuko stated. "He won't return my honor to me."

Azula stood up and put her hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, he doesn't need to because today, you returned your own honor."

Zuko looked at her then elsewhere. He had a pensive expression, wondering if what he did tonight was the right intention for his reasons.

Everyone was quiet as they watched Artymis. Katara was the first to move. Although she didn't have a clue what she was doing, she knew something had to be done. She scooted close to her sister and took out the necklace with the bottle of the Oasis Water. She removed the top of the container and bended the small amount of water out of it, holding it over her open palm. The water spun in a small circle with great speed and glowed with energy. Katara took a breath before moving any further.

The others watched her closely in the moonlight.

"Help me turn her over," She said quietly. Sokka turned Artymis over and they all saw on her back, through a hole in her shirt, there was an infectious wound. Katara placed the Oasis Water into the wound.

For two minutes, nothing happened. Sokka sighed, the King looked down in despair, and tears ran down Toph's cheeks. Katara glanced over at Anduril who closed his eyes in anguish. The waterbender shut her eyes.

"I don't know what else to do."

"Art!" Toph suddenly cried, "Wake up! Don't leave us! Wake up and say anything - anything!" Katara held the earthbender close. "Why won't she wake up?" Toph asked her.

"I don't know."

She was running and crying in the dark; she was lost in this darkness. The shadows had taken her quickly and swiftly. She felt so alone in this realm, although, instead of familiar faces consoling and comforting her - she felt cold and sad. After what seemed like she was running for hours, she fell on her knees. She sat on the ground, her dull green eyes searching around herself. She was truly alone. She hung her head and her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

"I don't want to be alone…" She whispered.

"Art!" A distant voice called out.

She looked up.

" - wake up!"

The young woman stood up, trying to find the direction from where the familiar voice came from.

" - don't leave us!"

She began running into a direction as fast as she could, using the voice as her guide. "Please, don't go!" She begged as she ran from the shadows.

Artymis groaned softly and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a night sky with stars. For a moment, she thought she was falling from the sky. But the gravity of her situation slowly came to her: she was laying on Appa's back and he was flying, not her.. She tried to sit up but gasped loudly in pain and arched her back. There was a searing pain in her back. She heard some mutters and gasps.

"Artymis!" She felt someone embracing her, causing her to give another cry of pain.

"Toph, back off, she's hurt pretty bad…."

"Oops. Sorry, Art."

"What's… going on…?" Artymis blinked several times. All she could really see was outlines of objects.

"Don't say anything, just sleep." A voice soothed.

Artymis had already taken up on that suggestion. She laid back down, closing her eyes, giving into the shadows for a little while longer.

"Is she going to be alright?" The King asked in a whisper.

"She should be," Sokka said, watching his sister sleep.

"But, for a very long time, huh?" Toph asked in a low voice.

Katara nodded. "All we can hope is that…" She sighed. "Is that the future holds something better, right, Anduril?" She glanced over at the dragon.

Anduril nodded. He glanced at his sleeping sister before looking onward to the dark and cloudy horizon.

To Be Continued….