So, I decided to try my hand at some semi-dark fic and try to write a slight AU in which Aang didn't survive. It was going to be a multichapter, but I'm not sure I like it very much. I might just leave it at this, or I might continue it. For the record in this story, I took a little liberty and made Admiral Zhao come back to life, though it wouldn't matter if I didn't continue it. It was planned to be Zutara, but if I don't finish it...Do you think I should continue? I want your opinions, please.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

Red had become such an ugly color. It filled the sky all the time now, blocking out even the beautiful, life giving rays of the sun. Red and burnt orange painted the clouds that had once been a perfect, peaceful white. Today, the world was consumed by the color of fire.

I remember a time when there was hope in the world. A time when the promise of peace rested on the shoulders of a thirteen year old boy. But he was no ordinary boy. He was the Avatar and the last airbender. Now there is no hope in the world…except for us.

White capped waves crashed against the bottom of a high, rocky cliff. The landmass jutted out over the ocean and the cool, salty air filled the lungs of a single figure. It was a young woman, her cerulean eyes filled with sorrow that surpassed her fifteen years. Her face was drawn with worry and her mouth pressed into a hard line. Her hair was a thick, dark brown mane that cascaded down to her waist, its edges uneven and split from neglect. The woman's skin was a dark olive tone, bordering on nut brown. Around her slender neck was a dark blue ribbon, holding a rounded, pale blue stone in place. Carved into this stone were several wavy lines, mirroring the waves of the ocean below. She wore a light blue tunic that fell to her shins, where gray and blue boots wrapped around her calf muscles. Underneath, she wore deep blue pants.

As the wind picked up around her, this young woman-a goddess incarnate, she had once been called-raised her head up to the sky and touched her necklace. Her name was Katara, though she had gone by many aliases in the past months. Sometimes, she got into the façade of a false identity that she forgot who she truly was and would have to be reminded on what her goal was to accomplish. Sometimes, it was much easier to just lie down and give up.

The water beneath the cliff surged and leaped, slamming against the rock. Katara stood fearlessly atop of the precipice, raising her arms above her head. The ocean once again crashed against the shore as the girl flicked her wrists. She was one of the members of the increasingly rare population of waterbenders-people who had the power to command water in all of its forms and bend it to their will.

Bracing her feet, the waterbender used all of her might to pull the water up into the air, causing the cool, salty liquid to rise over the edge of the cliff. It was a move that only a master of their element could manage to complete. As her muscles complained at the force, Katara allowed the water to cascade back down rejoin the rest of the sea. It was one of the only things she was in control of now. Just her mind and the water.

Months ago, Katara laughed inwardly at the irony, she had believed that the end to a century of war would end. Now, there was no end in sight. The world was burning before her eyes, ever since the day a raging comet raced across the skies. The air was now filled with red and orange smoke from the constant fires and the smell of burning masked every other scent.

It had been foolish to put all of her trust in a thirteen year old boy. But she had been young once. Foolish and naïve. And it pained her to think that she had thought that this thirteen year old boy, even though he had been the famed Avatar, could defeat an evil tyrant such as the Phoenix King-a maniacal, power hungry man who now-quite literally-owned the world. There had been hope once, but now it was as dead as the airbender boy named Aang.

Over the sound of the crashing waves, Katara could hear the sound of footsteps from behind her. Her muscles clenched and she spun around, teeth bared in a primal snarl. She lived on the edge now, in fear of being attacked, arrested, imprisoned, and killed. She had seen it happen before. "Oh, it's just you."

Standing several feet from her was a young man, his pale skin flushed from running. His hair was ink black and shaggy, falling over his face, hiding the angry red scar that covered his eye and ran all the way up to his hairline. Despite the mark, he was rather handsome, even when he was brooding such as now. His back was rigidly straight and his shirt fell open, revealing the star shaped scar that ran along his abdomen. That scar, Katara knew well. She had healed it herself. "What are you doing all the way up here by yourself?"

Katara shrugged, her blue eyes meeting his golden ones. "Contemplating whether I should pitch myself into the waves and drown," She said rather caustically. "I was just about to come back down to meet back up with the others, what's up?"

The news of the Avatar's death ran through the world like fever and their victory over the Fire Nation princess was short lived. Their bodies throbbing in pain from the battle, the pair leaped onto the back of the flying bison and head across the seas towards the only safe haven they had. The rural Earth Kingdom.

"Sokka wants to discuss what we're doing next. Since we've lost more land, again." Zuko, the young man, growled. "We're losing ground more than we're gaining." He sighed. "Ever since Aang…things have been going downhill. The Fire Nation's taking what we worked so hard to keep."

Katara blinked sadly. "I know. The North Pole is under siege, Ba Sing Se is under Fire Nation control, and we can't flee to the islands." It seemed as if the whole world was crumbling under Phoenix King Ozai's flaming fist as he struggled to weed out the remaining members of the Avatar's team.

Eight months ago, Avatar Aang had faced the Fire Nation leader. According to rumor, the young boy had been at the advantage until Ozai struck him down with an unexpected burst of lightning. Katara wasn't sure how much of that was true, but she was certain that the last airbender hadn't died in the Avatar State.

The new Avatar would be eight months old, now. Still too young to know the destiny that lay on its shoulders. If it was even still alive. The infant had to have been born in the Northern Water Tribe, but Katara was almost certain it would have little chance of survival.

Katara backed away from the cliff and walked towards Zuko. "Come on," She said over her shoulder as she descended the slope towards the group of tents that marked the meek camp of the team. They had only been here for a week, and she doubted they would stay there much longer.

As the tents grew large with their approach, Katara saw a small, green figure running towards them. A brief smile crossed her lips as she realized it was Toph, her companion and the thirteen year old blind girl who had once been Aang's earthbending teacher. "There you are, Sweetness!" The blind girl cried as she threw her stout arms around Katara's waist. "Thought you had gotten lost!"

The waterbender's eyes took on a gentle glow. "Of course not, Toph." She returned the embrace. "I don't think I could get lost when walking up a hill." The older girl pulled away. "Come on; let's go see what Sokka wanted." Katara smiled and reached out to grasp Toph's hand. "Come on, Zuko."

Along with Suki, the rest of the Avatar gang had been fleeing across the Earth Kingdom, struggling to find a permanent safe haven. Their unofficial leader-the master planner-Sokka was waiting for them outside of his sloppily pitched tent, seated cross legged with his hands on his knees. Beside him was the Kyoshi Warrior, a worried look on her face.

"There you are!" Sokka cried as he looked up. "I was waiting for you guys to finally arrive!" His friends crowded around him, settling on their knees as he spoke. "Get ready to pack up again, because we're leaving. I just got a message from the Order of the White Lotus. They've secured a safe haven for us to set up headquarters. We're going to Omashu."

Katara let out a sigh of relief. "Finally. But how did they get the Fire Nation to stay out of the city again? I'm sure Ozai wanted it for himself."

Sokka smiled, the lines that had appeared on his face since Aang's death disappearing. "Let's just say, Bumi is very protective of his city and its mailing system."