Ancient Library

Story
The group arrives at the Mist Palms Oasis, a village at the edge of a desert. It is known for its large icy spring.

Katara: That’s it? (They are standing in front of a melted icicle, barely taller than they are.)

Sokka: What a ripoff!

John: It is right next to the desert. What’d you expect? (They head into a cantina, where they see a scholar at a table. They all get cold, refreshing drinks, and they sit at a table.)

Sokka: Okay, I’ll admit. This is a decent little trip. But we still need to find intelligence.

Scholar: Ah, intelligence is always a good thing. (They look over, the scholar coming over.) I am Professor Zei, head of the Anthropology Department at Ba Sing Se University.

Sokka: Do you have a recent map I can look at?

Zei: Of course. (Zei gives Sokka a map, mainly focusing on the Si Wong Desert.)

Sokka: Ugh! Is there not a recent map of the Fire Nation?

Katara: You go into the desert a lot.

Zei: Yes. In the desert is supposedly Wan Shi Tong’s Library. It is a enormous library that has record of knowledge stretching back thousands of years.

Sokka: You think they have anything regarding the Fire Nation there?

Zei: It could very well.

Sokka: Alright. I say that we go to the Library.

They are standing at the edge of town, in the desert.

John: I hate the desert. Every time I go to one, I’m attacked by something, usually a giant worm.

Toph: I agree. The sand is too loose, it makes everything seem all fuzzy.

Zei: The Library won’t be easy to find. I have searched for years, and almost died in the desert each time.

John: You can’t see in the sand, Toph?

Toph: Didn’t you hear me before?

John: I did. Seeing with the ground. Feeling the vibrations. (John transforms, turning into Desert Storm.)

Toph: Where’d he go?

Zei: Truly fascinating! What are you?

Desert Storm: Just your average freak. (Desert Storm merges with the sands of the desert, his main body sticking out.) I can feel everything in the sand, sense everything. Got it! (A giant sand hand comes out of the ground, lifting Katara, Sokka, Toph and Zei.)

Toph: Ah! What’s happening?!

Sokka: John’s doing his Avatar thing. (Desert Storm then starts to move forward, the hand carrying the others deep into the desert.) End Scene

They arrive at a tower sticking out of the ground, windows at the top. Desert Storm puts the others down, and reverts.

Zei: Where is it?

John: Under the sand. It’s been buried.

Zei: No! My life’s work!

Toph: (Puts her hand on the tower.) You don’t need to worry. It’s surprisingly intact.

Sokka: There’s a window up there. Let’s climb in.

Toph: Great. Have fun guys.

Katara: You not coming?

Toph: Books don’t really do it for me.

Katara: Oh, sorry.

Sokka throws his boomerang up to the window, a rope attached to it. They climb up it, and scale the rope down into the Library.

Zei: Wow, it’s incredible! So many books!

John: Those who seek knowledge are always welcome.

Voice: Is that what you think, other worlder? (They group turns, seeing a giant owl with black feathers except its white face.)

Zei: (Gasps in excitement.) Wan Shi Tong! The spirit of knowledge.

Wan Shi Tong: And you are human. I suggest you leave, now. Humans always use information to get the upper hand against their foes. So, who is your enemy?

Sokka: (Nervous) What? We’re not here to get the upper hand or anything. We are here for knowledge’s sake.

Wan Shi Tong: Hm. I will allow you here, on one condition. You must contribute a piece to my collection.

Zei: (Moves forward, holding a tome.) For your collection.

Wan Shi Tong: Ooh. First edition. (He takes the book. Katara offers her Waterbending scroll, and he takes it as well.) And what do you have, outer worlder?

John: I have, a riddle. If you can’t solve it instantly, then the knowledge will be the discovery of the answer.

Wan Shi Tong: Hm. Puzzling logic. Very well.

John: What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the day, and three at night? (Wan Shi Tong is about to answer, when he stops, muttering to try to figure it out. Sokka was looking through his bag, trying to find something.) Want to know?

Wan Shi Tong: I will continue to think. And you. (Referring to Sokka.)

Sokka: Alright, here we go. (He pulls out a piece of string, and ties a knot into a butterfly.) Ta-da! (Wan Shi Tong stares at Sokka blankly.)

Wan Shi Tong: You’re not very bright, are you? (He takes the knot, and flies off, still muttering to himself.)

Sokka: Bright enough to fool you.

Katara: What did he mean by other worlder?

John: Maybe my spirit connection. (Zei was already reading a book, several more stacked by his side.) Okay. Time to learn. (John transforms.)

Brainstorm: Brainstorm! (Brainstorm’s skull opens up, lightning extending and grabbing books off shelves. He quickly skims through them, going on to the next book.) Ooh! A lion turtle? How odd. These hybrids are inconceivable.

Katara was looking at a book, and Sokka was looking at books, putting some in his bag. He then finds a piece of burned parchment in glass.

Sokka: “The darkest day in Fire Nation history.” No info but a date. (Sokka opens the glass, taking the parchment. He then runs past Katara.)

Katara: Sokka?

Sokka: The section of the Fire Nation should be right (He opens a door, seeing the entire area burned down.) NO! I thought we had it! A way to get a lead on them!

Brainstorm: Guys! Get over here! (Katara and Sokka runs towards his voice, and they arrive in a planetarium.)

Sokka: What is it?

Brainstorm: A record of the heavens. This device has a map of the stars, sun and moon through time. Look at this. (Lightning comes out of his skull, which moves the dials of the calendar. He then pushes the lever, and the ceiling moves, the stars moving. It goes to daytime, the sun and moon in the sky, as well as an additional object in the sky.)

Katara: What is that?

Brainstorm: The Grand Comet, later known as Sozin’s comet, according to the Professor at least. This date is 100 years ago.

Sokka: The start of the 100 Year War.

Brainstorm: The comet greatly enhances the abilities of Firebenders. I’ve already checked the calendar. It will return by the end of the summer.

Katara: But it’s already close to the end of spring.

Sokka: Hey, put this date on it. (Sokka pulls out the parchment, and Brainstorm sets the dials. Sokka pushes the lever, as the cosmos change. It is set, but the room is dark.) What happened?

Katara: Is it broken?

Brainstorm: No. Look! (They look at the moon, which was covering the sun.) It’s a solar eclipse.

Sokka: That’s it! Firebenders lose their bending during a solar eclipse. Quick, we need to find when the next one is. If before the comet or not.

Brainstorm: With my intelligence, it will be quite easy to find out. Now, with that date, and if the orbital path of the planet is the same, I can accurately predict the date. And, (He sets the dials with lightning, then pushes the lever. The room shifts, and it stops still dark, another solar eclipse occurring.)

Sokka: Yes! (He writes down the dates.) Come on! We’ve got to tell the King of Ba Sing Se about this.

Brainstorm: King of the Earth Kingdom?

Sokka: He can give us an army to attack on that day. We can end the war before the comet.

Wan Shi Tong: You humans are so predictable. (Sokka turns, Wan Shi Tong being right behind him.) Oh, and the answer is a human, Cerebrocrustacean.

Brainstorm: Not bad.

Wan Shi Tong: You humans are using my knowledge to get an advantage. You are just like all other humans!

Sokka: Sorry, but we need it to end the war!

Wan Shi Tong: You all think that you are in the right. And now, I shall do what is necessary. (He swings his wings, causing the library to shake. Then, sand starts pouring into it, the Library sinking.)

Brainstorm fires a lightning blast at Wan Shi Tong, knocking him away. Brainstorm then reverts, John panting.

John: Held that transformation too long. Guys, go! Get out of here! (Sokka and Katara take off running, while John waits for Wan Shi Tong to get up.)

Wan Shi Tong: You shall regret that, outer worlder.

John: We’ll see.

John swings his arms, firing waves of wind at Wan Shi Tong. He’s pushes through, and John takes off running, turning into Battle Tails. He uses his tails to propel himself forward while running, Wan Shi Tong flying after him. He swoops down, and Battle Tails curls up, rolling out of the way, slowing down enough to make a turn. Sokka and Katara are climbing up the rope, when they see Professor Zei sitting, reading a book.

Sokka: Professor! Let’s go!

Zei: I can’t. There’s so much knowledge here. I could spend an eternity here. (Sokka and Katara stare in amazement, as Battle Tails flies around the corner, Wan Shi Tong following.)

Katara: Move it!

Sokka and Katara continue to climb, when Wan Shi Tong flies up, cutting the rope. They fall, but Battle Tails catches them, and flies up to the window. They fly out, and land in the sand, Toph having her fists in the tower, holding it in place. She lets go, allowing the tower to go under the sand, the Library gone.

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Katara
 * Sokka
 * Toph Beifong
 * Professor Zei

Villains

 * Wan Shi Tong

Aliens

 * Desert Storm (first re-appearance)
 * Brainstorm (first re-appearance)
 * Battle Tails

Trivia

 * This is the first time the group meets a real spirit.
 * John uses the riddle told to him by the Sphinx in Herald of the Gods to get into the library.
 * The group learns about Sozin's Comet and the Solar Eclipse that will happen in the coming summer.
 * Wan Shi Tong knows John is not from this dimension, and knew Brainstorm's species name.