Chapter 69: Circling in the Sand

"Sparky, it's right underneath us." Toph said, brows pinched with worry.

Zuko nodded. "Okay. I think we need to run."

Katara looked back and nodded. "On three?"

Zuko nodded back. "Be sure to grab Sokka."

She reached out and gripped his wrist tight. He looked at her and laughed loudly.

She shook her head. "Ready?"

Zuko said, "Three."

"Two." Toph said.

Katara yelled, "One. Run!"

They took off sprinting.


Zuko could hear the sand shark behind them; a faint rumbling signalled its pursuit, the swishing of sand sliding past its fin.

He was at the back of the group; Sokka and Katara were in front with Momo, though Sokka looked like he might become a hindrance to the Waterbender very soon. Toph was in front of him.

He glanced back and saw its fin sticking out less than twenty feet behind him.

He lashed out with his free hand, sending a rough arc of fire towards where it met the sand.

There was a sound that might have been a roar or a cry of pain. He turned forward once more and kept running.


Katara yelled over her shoulder, "We—We can't… keep this going—much longer!"

Zuko shouted, "I know!"

His chest burned; his lungs were on fire too. His time underground, courtesy of the Sandbenders, had done a number on his throat.

Toph shouted, "Sparky, I think it's going right!"

Zuko turned his head and saw the large fin gliding past him. He snarled and switched his staff to his left hand. He awkwardly drew one of his swords and slashed at the fin.

He'd never considered the fact that sand sharks had incredibly tough, almost armoured, skin.

The edge of the blade skated across the fin, drawing a very thin line across it.

He cursed harshly. He flipped the sword into a reversed grip and tried to jam it down into the creature where its fin disappeared under the sand.

He heard that strange, roaring cry again and he only just managed to rip the sword back out before the sand shark's fin vanished underground.

They slowed down from a sprint to a jog.

Katara looked back and gasped, "Did you kill it?"

He shook his head. "Wounded it, maybe. Definitely made it back off a little. It'll be back though."

Toph said, "We can't keep running forever."

"I know." He said. His mind was racing, trying to come up with a solution. He gripped his staff hard, breathing heavily. He sheathed his sword and rubbed at his chest.

Katara looked back and caught him doing it. She shouted, "Are you okay?"

He waved her off. He could worry about his chest later, right now he had to avoid dying by sand shark attack.


It came back.

It rose up partially out of the sand, revealing cold, black eyes and too many teeth.

Zuko saw it coming up on their right. He yelled, "Incoming!"

Katara turned her head, paled, and as one they all began sprinting again.

They couldn't outrun it though. Zuko knew this; the Sandbenders had told him that a full-grown sand shark could move faster than one of their sailers. It was just toying with them before, now it would go for blood.

He saw it aiming towards Sokka and Katara; they no doubt presented the largest, juiciest target as they were running so closely together.

Vaguely he heard Sokka shout, "Sharks are so mean!"

He shook his head; at least the severity of the situation had begun to filter into the boy's hallucinations.

He re-drew one of his Dao blades, reversing his grip on it. He sped up a little, coming up so he was level with Toph, on her right side, putting himself between her and the sand shark.

The sand shark leaped straight out of the sand, jaws gaping wide open and revealing every single one of its serrated teeth.

Zuko jumped too. He jumped and threw his staff forward towards the beast's mouth. With his other hand he brought his sword up and then stabbed it down, aiming for the sand shark's vast neck.

It worked, more or less, how the Firebender intended.

His staff lodged in its mouth, wedging it open, and his Dao sank into the side of its neck. He collided with it too, sending it toppling to the sand. He held onto the sword tight, trying to twist it and dig it in even deeper.

Faintly he heard cries of, "ZUKO!"

And then he realised the sand shark was burrowing back beneath the dunes and taking him with it.

His experiences from earlier that day flashed before his eyes, as did the sight of Sergeant Yan and Katara doing the same.

He held on though, gritting his teeth and forcing his weight down on the hilt of his sword.

The two of them, sand shark and Firebender, went under the sand.