Sight ↣ A:TLA

10

Thalia (1)

We've been traveling for what seems like hours. The scorching hot sun beating down on us was excruciating. I could feel a sun burn coming.

According to the Professor's drawing of the Library, it shouldn't have been difficult. The whole building was enormous, it could actually be a palace.

"It shouldn't be this hard to spot a giant ornate building from the air." Katara said, looking out.

"That's what I'm saying." I pout. "I'm hot and thirsty and tired... and hot."

"Down there! What's that?" Sokka points. We all snap our heads in the direction he was pointing to. A tower-like structure was sticking out of the sand.

Aang guides Appa down to the tower.

We all hop off of Appa and walk over to the long tower. I put my hand on my chin, "Uhm... I see some resemblance."

"Forget it. It's obviously not what we're looking for." Katara says. "The building in this drawing is enormous."

From the corner of my eye, something shined brightly for a moment. I turn and there's a Fox holding something in its mouth. I tap on Sokka and point, "Look." Everyone turns their heads.

"What kind of animal is that?" Sokka asks.

"It's a fox." I answer. The fox grew closer to us and now being able to see it better, I see that a scroll is in its mouth. It runs up the side of the tower then jumps into one of the windows.

"I think that was one of the knowledge seekers." The Professor smiles. "Oh, we must be close to the Library!"

"No," Sokka looks down the drawing. "This is the Library. It's completely buried."

"The Library is buried?!" Professor Zei exclaims. "My life's ambition is now full of sand!" He goes down onto his knees before pulling out a very small shovel. "Well, time to start excavating."

He starts to shovel out sand and I groan, while rolling my eyes. "Stop that." I grab him by the arm and pull him up. "There has to be another way."

"Actually, there is." Toph had her hand on the tower. "The inside seems to be completely intact. And it's huge."

"That fox thingy went in through a window. I say we climb up there and give it a look." Sokka said.

Toph crosses her arms, "I say you guys go ahead without me."

"You got something against libraries?" Katara furrowed her brows while putting her hands on her hips.

"I've held books before and, I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me."

Katara rubs the back of her neck in an embarrassed manner. "Oh, right. Sorry."

My cousin punches my arm and I look down at her while holding where she punched. "Uhm, ow?"

"Let me know if they have something you can listen to." She tells me. I nod, "Sure thing."

Sokka tosses rope that was tied to his boomerang into the window. After he starts to climb up, we all do the same.

I was amazed at how beautiful it was inside. I wasn't the only one, clearly. "Oh, it's breathtaking! The spirits spared no expense in designing this place. Look at those beautiful buttresses." Professor Zei says.

Aang and Sokka giggle at the word buttresses. I playfully shook my head with a small smile.

"What's funny?" He asks the two boys.

"Nothing." Aang answers. "We just like architecture."

"As do I." Professor Zei responds.

We hop down from the rope and the Professor continues. He was completely stunned at tile painting. After noticing our blank stares at him, he shyly slows down. "Eh, nice owl."

After hearing some shuffling behind us, we all run behind large pillars. I covered my mouth to hide my breathing. After a few seconds, we hear a deep, intimidating voice. "I know you're back there."

I widen my eyes when the Professor runs out. "Hello! I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University."

"You should leave the way you came. Unless you want to be a stuffed head of anthropology." They responded.

We all walk out behind the pillars. I was taken back by the incredibly large owl.

"Are you the spirit who brought this library to the physical world?" Sokka asks him.

"Indeed. I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten-thousand things. And you are obviously humans, which by the way, are no longer permitted in my study."

"What do you have against humans?" Aang asks him.

Wan Shi Tong scoffs. "Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. Like that firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy. So," the owl leans down in Sokka's face. "Who are you trying to destroy?"

"What?! No, no, no destroying. We're not into that." Sokka quickly spits out.

"Then why have you come here?" Wan Shi Tong asks him.

"Uhm...knowledge for knowledges sake."

Seriously? That's the best you could do?

"If you're going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being, you should at least put some effort into it." The owl says. Yeah, no kidding.

"I'm not lying! I'm here with the Avatar and he's the bridge between our worlds. He'll vouch for me." Sokka grabs Aang and pulls him to the front.

"Uh, yeah. I'll vouch. We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit. You have my word." We all bow respectfully to the owl.

"Hm, very well. I let you peruse my vast collection on one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge."

As the others showed Wan Shi Tong their valuables, I quickly look into my bag for anything I could find.

Hairbrush? No. Socks? No. Jerky? Hm, probably not. Wait, I smile when I pull out my old fans.

When it was my turn, I held out my hands to the owl. "These were sent me to from the Kyoshi Warriors themselves, years ago."

"The inscription is nicely detailed." With just a wave of his feathers, he takes the fans out of my hands. "Enjoy the Library." Wan Shi Tong flys off and we begin to scope out the Library.