Chapter 10: The Spirit of Knowledge

To recreate the techniques of the Air Nomads, to be agile and indistinguishable from the famous monks, I had to exert far more effort than I initially imagined. For several days, I attempted to master only the basics. My food supplies ran out multiple times, forcing me to break my concentration and trek to the city for provisions. The greatest hurdle was the element itself: sand was significantly heavier than air.

Many techniques in the scrolls required a speed where my natural "earthy" hardness became a hindrance. I knew how to dash and jump, but I found myself constantly pausing before a strike to push the heavy sand. I had to find a compromise: controlling smaller volumes of sand, but at incredible speeds.

After "breaking a few spokes on the wheel," so to speak, I adapted to an entirely different tempo. The sand now propelled me through the library’s kilometer-long corridors; I even raced against Afka, the name I gave my fox assistant. A spirit’s body wasn't bound by simple physics, and whenever she needed to show me a specific section quickly, she would tear through the wind and walls to reach the destination.

But I loved the philosophy of the Air Nomads even more. When I wanted to relax, I read the works of various Gurus. Their measured reflections on the life of every living being resonated within me, primarily because they weren't blind to the conditions a person might face. Whether you had to kill to survive or to maintain balance in the universe, they all concluded that sometimes, no other option remains.

"Guru Pathik’s works are especially profound. A person can become manifold better if they master themselves. He could quell the anger of others with a single touch, and as he writes, if a bender achieves the same, they become the master of their own destiny." Raising a bowl of onion-banana soup, made from ingredients from the nearest settlement, I glanced at Afka. "Want some?"

"Grrr..."

"You know, this is better than dried wasp meat. It's refreshing and invigorating."

Snap!

Afka swatted my hand, spilling the drink all over my face. Hissing predatorily, the little pest vanished among the bookshelves, poking only her snout out to stick her tongue at me. If not for the Guru’s teachings, I probably would have thrown the bowl back... but after wiping the moisture from my skin and realizing that without deeper guidance I would never grasp the true harmony Pathik wrote about, I pulled out a more grounded text.

In the Airbending section, there was a book by an unknown Master. I wouldn't have looked twice at a technique by an anonymous author if it wasn't the legendary Air Scooter. A technique invented by Avatar Aang himself, it allowed for movement across horizontal and vertical surfaces while maintaining high mobility.

Since even children mastered the technique in the canon, it didn't take long for me to replicate a sand version. Though maintaining balance was difficult at first, soon a dense, sandy vortex whirled beneath my feet, capable of accelerating to staggering speeds.

"Grrrr!" growled Afka, whom I was trying to catch to yank her tail. She usually managed to escape me on the walls where my speed flagged, but now, closing in rapidly, I snatched the creature's bushy tail and landed on a bridge. "Arf-Arf! Ryaaaa!"

"Torturing my poor assistant?" a voice suddenly boomed behind me. I loosened my grip, allowing the fox to slip away and flee, and turned to see Wan Shi Tong looming formidably over me.

"Er..." Twisting my mouth into a smile, I quickly recalled the Guru’s works. "I am attempting to enlighten the soul of this spirited creature. By spilling my soup on me, she might ruin the books!"

The owl’s head tilted and extended in a haunting manner. His eyes focused on my sand scooter, which I quickly deactivated.

"I see you are absorbing the wisdom of the dead people and not forgetting to refine yourself. The techniques of the Air Nomads were largely aimed at preserving life, which is why I favor them over the others."

"Me too! But honestly, I intend to move on to the study of other cultures soon; they also heavily influenced my ancestors' development."

"Human, if you follow the peaceful philosophy you have been reading so intently, I might make certain concessions." The owl’s neck coiled around me, but that wasn't what surprised me. The offer was quite unexpected. "I may allow a Knowledge Seeker to accompany you, since you have grown so close. But not for nothing, she will collect the knowledge you acquire or create."

"Oh..."

[Choose:]

[1 — Accept the offer. (You will only be able to deviate from the Guru’s philosophy in minimal ways. A Knowledge Seeker will accompany you.)]

[2 — Deceive. (You are used to less noble paths and don't intend to bind yourself with oaths. You can twist the vow. A Knowledge Seeker will accompany you; the penalty for deception is unknown.)]

[3 — Enter a more serious pact. (You vow never to kill and to abstain from meat. The Knowledge Seeker will assist in mastering your abilities.)]

[4 — Refuse. (You refuse to place spiritual oaths upon yourself but wish to betray no one. Wan Shi Tong will accept your honesty and keep the library open until you break its rules.)]

The phrase "spiritual oath" made it clear this wasn't a simple agreement. If even Anubis couldn't foresee the consequences, I had to choose carefully... but the true philosophy of the Air Nomads is, and will remain, limiting. To think I wouldn't break a vow even for the sake of loved ones, whom I hope to have, is foolish. To maintain peace, to not seek revenge... I haven't gone so mad that I'd renounce killing entirely; some people simply don't deserve forgiveness. But to minimize it is the task of a worthy man.

"You know... I’m glad someone finally judges me by something other than my appearance." I met the owl’s gaze with my rough, if not entirely sincere, eyes. To him, and even to Afka, appearance didn't matter, which made lying to his face feel unpleasant. "Therefore, I will gladly accept your faithful companion as a friend."

"Firr-firr-firr," the creature laughed in a bone-chilling way. "Humans know how to wrap words in ways spirits cannot. I am watching you, human, very closely... But I entrust the Knowledge Seeker to you."

"Thank you very much. But... do I really have to give up meat?"

"No. I happen to enjoy a mouse or two myself."

Blinking innocently, making me smile, the great bird vanished from sight once more. That meant I now had to look after the feisty creature currently sticking her tongue at me from the bookshelves. Guru Pathik, I want so much to learn how to calm beings with a single touch, just like you.

I continued my stay in a different section: the culture of the Water Tribe. It was divided into Northern and Southern Tribe sections, but the principle of their bending was the same—fluid and graceful movements reflecting flow and change.

The techniques here were relatively simple. Water was roughly the same "weight" as sand but required a more stable stance and constant circular motions, which my father had taught me. Literally all the martial movements I knew could be replicated with water. I read through the techniques until late into the night, even as the hourglasses flipped to mark a new day.

There was only one significant difference between the Water and Sand schools... healing. Water could restore the flow of Chi in a human body, accelerating regeneration. I noticed that when attempting to replicate this technique exactly with sand, it resulted in that same dehydration ability.

"I have a faint feeling my father learned that technique from Waterbenders..." Having learned the nuances, I remembered how I had withered the bandit by holding his hand... I likely drained all his Chi. I destroyed it to the last drop, that’s why he lost control over his bending so quickly.

The more I learned about Earthbending and all its branches, the more powerful it became in my eyes. What if I studied Chi not through silent scrolls, but through Water Tribe masters? How much deeper could I understand Earthbending, and how much better would it prove to be than all the other schools? My checklist was growing.

Finally, I studied Earth Kingdom culture. If Waterbending seemed easy enough, stone was no trouble at all. I had honed the basics back in the caves. Combined with my physical strength and the "super-control" all Sandbenders boast, basic techniques were a breeze.

Even so, the monolithic art of Earthbending had surprises.

"Avatar Kyoshi used weapons to enhance her bending!" As I studied a scroll on her history, my eyebrows shot up. "Her fans allowed for finer control over earth and wind. She invented the principle of energy accumulation, where a broad weapon can amplify a single burst of bending!"

The style she invented was considered the best for Earthbenders. But as far as I knew, it could only be learned on Kyoshi Island.

"Afka, has really no one traveled there to copy such a useful technique?" Glancing reproachfully at my fox, I received only a dry look in return. She was ignoring me. "Lazy bums. Fine, we'll head there ourselves!"

That perked her up. After scrutinizing the section on rocks and minerals, I was finally ready to depart. I hadn't learned everything about everything, staying for that would take a lifetime. I couldn't be that greedy, especially when I had a Knowledge Seeker. Her presence gave me one incredible advantage: she could retrieve a scroll from the library and bring it to me wherever I was.

One thing, though... I didn't want the library to simply vanish one day when the spirits returned to their world. Which meant I had to change the canon.

"Afka, please show me the planetarium."

Smiling at my assistant, I followed her through the endless dark corridors. We climbed into the library’s deepest reaches until we reached a hidden section. I wasn't even surprised by the giant hall that made me look like an ant. I calmly approached the calendar in the center.

"Right, I need the date of the solar eclipse." Placing my hands on the stone calendar, which reminded me of a Mayan artifact, I began to slowly turn it. The mechanism in the center moved the "sun" and "moon" on the dome. Finally, seeing the moon overlap the sun, I stopped and wrote down the exact date.

"What are you doing here?" a voice suddenly came from behind. It didn't startle me; I could feel his movement through the vibrations in the ground. I simply smiled and turned to the owl.

"Ah, Shi Tong. Tell me, have you ever seen a solar eclipse? Not in a planetarium, but for real?" Walking up to the bird, I gave him a light pat.

"...No. I believe leaving the library is pointless and foolish. That is what my assistants are for."

"You know, you can't understand the world through books and projections alone. By seeing it with your own eyes, you gain more experience and knowledge. At the very least, you’ll be able to record your own thoughts about what you saw."

"...And when is the next eclipse?" The bird peered at the calendar, nodding doubtfully. "I shall consider whether to clear my busy schedule for such a triviality."

"Good man." Giving a wave and shoving my hands in my pockets, I headed for the exit. The owl scrutinized my outfit and the gourd of sand on my back.

"...You are finally leaving?"

"That’s right. Like I said, there’s a lot in the world you can’t learn from books."

"Firr-firr. Do not forget to send back new knowledge. And if you watch the solar eclipse... send a scroll with the thoughts that come to you in that moment."

"You really are greedy."

Smiling, I simply raised a hand with a thumbs-up. It was time to leave the desert.