Chapter 11: The Earthbender

"I’ve meticulously planned our route," I said, glancing at Afka, who was perched atop the railing of the sand-sailer. I unfurled the map, gripping it tightly so the desert winds wouldn't whisk it away into the vast, sandy reaches we were currently traversing at high speed.

Taking items from the library wasn't exactly permitted. Wan Shi Tong didn't issue library cards or memberships; if you stole from him, the implication was that he’d show up at your bedside and pluck out your eyes. At least, that was how I imagined the vengeance of that terrifying bird-spirit. However, if the knowledge wasn't unique, like a contemporary map, a version of which had once hung in my childhood home, it was a different matter entirely.

"We need to visit the nations where I can learn something useful. If we follow this path, we can reach Omashu, which is my primary interest. Books on mineralogy mention that they've mastered the extraction and use of abrasives. It’s a mineral ground into a sand-like state, incredibly hard, used for polishing, cutting, and much more."

I whispered the last part into the ear of the fox, who was peering intently at the map.

"A-af!"

"Of course, we’ll submit the production technique to the library later."

For me, this was fascinating from the perspective of a new sub-material to master. Put simply, it was highly advanced sand, its particles were incredibly sharp, making for excellent defense and offense. More importantly, I intended to grasp the culture and principles of Earthbenders. Guru Pathik wrote that the first chakra, the Earth Chakra, is firmly rooted in their worldview. It deals with survival but is blocked by fear. I wanted to experience it.

"But since I’m not the Avatar, opening this chakra within myself will be difficult."

Our first stop was to be a few dozen kilometers from my old home. Near the Misty Palms Oasis, there is an arid region home to a lowland village.

At a certain point, the sand on our path began to thin, replaced by barren, hard-packed earth. The sailer could no longer maintain its former speed. The ruts and frequent rocks caused the vessel to shudder violently. One bad jolt and the runners snapped; the sailer spun out of control. The crack traveled upward, splitting the mast in two and tearing the sail under its own weight. It was impossible to go further.

"Sigh... I was hoping to make it to the settlement at least, so I could sell it. So much money down the drain." After inspecting the wreckage and finding it beyond repair, I hitched my gear to my belt. I formed a small sand-scooter beneath my feet and set off with Afka toward the settlement on the horizon. The distance between villages seemed small, but this was a new world! Yet, the population was just as impoverished as ever...

Entering the outskirts, I stepped into the town, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of ground that didn't crunch like sand. Buildings lined the road, and there were already ten times more of them than in any Sandbender camp. One might think that since Sandbenders build with sandstone, everything here would be made of solid rock, but no. Peeling plaster and cracks revealed imported brick, while roofs and supports were fashioned from wood. A true rarity in my eyes.

"Unusual. No one is trying to strip me with their eyes; they don't seem to care about a stranger's presence." Was this the difference in character I needed to understand? Intrigued, I approached the nearest merchant at a typically rickety stall and met his gaze. I had a pleasant premonition... which shattered the moment I saw the shadow on the man's face.

"I just gave you a cut of my profits yesterday! Why have you come back again?" He recoiled, aggression flaring in his eyes. But as he clenched his fists, Afka leaped onto the counter, startling the merchant. I nodded understandingly.

"Bandits giving you trouble? There’s no end to them in the desert."

"Ah..." The man scanned my attire, realization dawning. "So, you’re a desert traveler? Not a bandit?" He squinted suspiciously, making me shake my head. "Phew. You approached me like you were about to clear out the whole warehouse. I was ready to part with my last copper."

"My apologies."

"It’s fine. You nomads have it even harder out there than I do here. So, are you a trader, or have you finally decided to escape the desert?" His voice trembled slightly; he clearly felt uneasy speaking to me. A simple man, the kind found everywhere, just bullied and broken. He tried not to meet my eyes. Only the sight of the well-groomed fox seemed to calm him.

"I’m traveling to other lands."

"Heh, well, let me be the first to tell you: it’s mostly war out here. You probably don't feel it in the deep desert, but trouble finds its way even here." He pointed toward a pair of ruined houses. Large stone disks lay scattered around—Earthbenders used them as projectiles. Due to their aerodynamic shape, they could be launched with lethal velocity.

"Those projectiles... are there Earthbenders in this village?" I turned back to the man and saw fear. The fellow looked thoroughly spooked, lowering his voice immediately:

"You'd best not talk about them. All the Earthbenders are being conscripted into the army. A single squad is responsible for the 'recruitment' here, but in reality, they're just thugs looking to profit from our misery." I looked at him intently. "Th-there's an Earthbender among them."

"Thank you." The man looked at me, hoping for a coin. But living in the desert teaches you to be frugal and greedy, so I left him to his sorrows. As for finding the target, Afka took that task upon herself. I barely had time to look at her before the fox vanished like a mirage. She scouted the town thoroughly and then reappeared around a corner. Her open mouth and soft huffing beckoned me to follow.

Peering around the dilapidated corner of a house into an alley, I saw a group of men. They were fit, sturdy fellows, including one who was a veritable cabinet, a mountain of muscle pinning a civilian against the wall. I recognized the scene. A shakedown, performed by members of the army. Or so the merchant had claimed.

"Gentlemen." Seeing the smirks and taunts directed at the civilian, I stepped into the alley. My gaze focused on the muscle-bound one, presumably the Earthbender, judging by his lack of footwear. Shoes interfered with the ability to feel the element. They stared back at me.

"What do you want, rat? Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong." He took several heavy steps toward me, shielding the terrified boy behind him. "We're on official business for the Earth Kingdom Army, flushing out spies."

"I see. So you aren't robbing him; you’re collecting 'taxes.'"

"You... are looking for trouble." Frowning, he peered through the narrow slit of my hood where my eyes were visible. He shuddered for a split second, his feet digging firmer into the ground as vibrations rippled through the earth. Stamping his foot, he drew a stone pillar from the ground, ripping out a chunk of rock with it. He fashioned a hammer.

"Simple movements, but the result is effective. Earthbenders are strong," I said sincerely. Even though I’d studied techniques in the library, these displays could pose a real challenge. But I had to observe his behavior now. The Earthbender was grim and unyielding, perhaps this was exactly what would allow me to unlock my Earth Chakra.

I gathered a small amount of sand from the ground and swirled it around me like a shield.

"...Ha! You really are a desert nomad!" The soldiers' faces lit up with amusement. "Sand is nothing but dust! It can't do any real damage! It's just a nuisance."

"I wish to master the entire path of Earthbending. Every one of its subtleties. Sand is merely the most convenient and adaptive form." The sand swirling around me compressed, forming a mace identical to his. It might not have been as dense, but it was capable of striking. The bender and his friends tensed.

"Is that so? Then why aren't you in the army, since you're so confident? Tell you what, I'll put you in touch with the right people, and they'll ship you to the front lines. You can show your sand tricks to the Firebenders." Like most bullies, he was provoked by my calm demeanor. He raised his mace and, accelerated by his bending, struck at my feet to shatter my weapon.

Yes, a heavy club moving at those speeds would certainly crush any man. But it was so slow. And he had to put so much unnecessary physical effort into it.

My mace transformed into a sandy tentacle and lashed out, coiling around the handle of the stone weapon. With a sharp snap against his fingers, I forced the weapon from his hands.

"Gah!" He grimaced in pain and tried to stomp the ground. But the moment he was hoisted upside down, his power vanished. Without direct contact with the earth, many Earthbenders are helpless, and only in the legends I read in Wan Shi Tong's library could masters control boulders while suspended in the air.

But would an Earthbender, stubborn by nature, give up so easily? They were supposed to cling to life and endure strikes with resilience. To test this, I swung his pale body, using him as a living flail to knock down the other bandits. The soldier's head bounced off the walls a couple of times.

"P-please, let me go!!!" the suspended bender suddenly shrieked. Clutching his slightly bleeding head, he began to sob. "I won't do anything to you, just don't kill me!"

"..."

"If you keep this up, the Earth Kingdom soldiers won't let it slide!" Survival was being blocked by fear. This was not the conduct of the resilient and unyielding benders of legend, and it wasn't about social morality. He wasn't just blocking his first chakra; he was hindering his own bending. Hoping I had interpreted the Guru's teachings correctly, I decided to try the opposite approach.

Hooo...

My feet pressed firmly into the earth. Bending must flow with the body, used in tandem with the muscles.

"H-hey, kid, what are you planning?"

The sand rising from the ground followed the steady, firm movements of my limbs. It hardened, encasing the bender and his cronies in a "sand coffin." My own muscles tensed like iron cables – for the first time since my stay in the cave, I felt that physical strength served a purpose. It allowed me to make the sand harder than ever before.

"Such a combination is difficult... but that's why Earthbenders are such strong-willed people, isn't it?" Reaching an understanding of the nature of the element, I looked at the trembling civilian. I could hand the captured bandits over to the village; they would decide the fate of these pathetic men. But... the boy was so terrified he had soiled his pants. And when our eyes met...

"A-a-a-ah!" He scrambled up and bolted like a coyote on all fours. My intimidating appearance, coupled with the bending, had produced a completely negative effect.

[Choose:]

[1 – Turn the situation to your advantage. (The less honorable path. Claim the civilian was actually one of the bandits. You can then squeeze travel funds out of the grateful villagers.)]

[2 – Let him go. (Your luck runs out. The misunderstanding will reach its peak. Face the consequences head-on. Reputation with the villagers will drop; long-term conflicts are possible.)]

[3 – Stop him and try to explain. (You are far too terrifying, but if you catch him and rough him up a bit, you might mitigate the misunderstanding and avoid responsibility. You will cause the person significant harm, but your reputation with the villagers won't drop.)]