Even the people of the sand had their own children's fairy tales and legends, which parents loved to tell their children. Back when I was a child, still living in my own world, I didn't like fairy tales. Everything in them was too good, and they always ended on a positive note — even then, it seemed completely unrealistic to me. But the stories of this world had little to do with fantasy, because there was no need to make anything up.Fairy tales about good spirits, Avatars of the past, various heroes — surely all of this must have existed... but I knew only one fairy tale: Once upon a time, in ancient times, in the middle of the continent of the people of the earth, the spires of a giant library rose up. Wang Shin Tong, "he who knows 10,000 things," came from the spirit world to fill his home with new knowledge. His doors were open to humanity, and anyone could enter and use the endless rows of books, but in return, they had to present a manuscript containing their knowledge.
The spirit's favourite guests were the Sand Magi. They lived in the neighbourhood for an incredibly long time and used all their knowledge for the good of the desert people. The method of measuring time with an hourglass was a gift from Wang Shin Tong to all the people of the sand. In return, they named the desert after him, and even now, some probably remain in the hot climate just to meet the great spirit of knowledge.
"But the damn library was covered with sand and now you'll never find it," I thought as I rushed across the endless expanse, wanting to just give up and leave. What were the chances that I would find it by accident? Right, zero, so I had to comb through hectares of terrain in a zigzag pattern and look under every dune. I even began to regret that, back then, when faced with the choice between returning to the bandits and seriously studying the desert, I had not chosen the latter. Maybe it would have been a little easier. On the third day without rest, my eyes red from fatigue, all I could see was sand.
Perhaps in the first couple of days, such views brought me more joy than the narrow walls of the cave with their swarm of beetles, but now I wanted to howl — freedom, wind, the ability to go anywhere... but not being able to do anything useful was depressingly boring. The only thing that allowed me to breathe was the high speed of the boat, which took me to other settlements to replenish my supplies. While in company, I learned that it was now the ninety-eighth year of the war — for me, this information meant a lot.
But then... my titanic efforts paid off. I stood with a smile in front of the white spire rising from the ground. I also began to understand why the other sand mages had not yet found this place: without the acceleration provided by the sandstorm, it would take dozens of times longer, and searching for this place in a storm was a task marked with an asterisk.
My heart was pounding. The small tower seemed like the greatest threat I had ever encountered, because nothing could be solved by force here. To my great joy, Anubis had taught me more than just the basics of killing. To get inside, I had to provide some kind of knowledge. Sitting down at a small table in my cabin, I looked doubtfully at the blank manuscript.
What should I write? The spirit would surely judge me based on the knowledge I presented, and I honestly didn't consider myself very well-read...
"Choose:
1 - Pass on knowledge of funeral rites and mummification (Anubis's skills are valuable. The spirits will make sure you learn the library's knowledge well)
2 - Pass on knowledge of surgery (The knowledge of Egyptian doctors was so advanced that they were invited to neighbouring countries. The spirits will understand that you care about others. If you decide to stay in the library, they will start bringing you food)
3 - Pass on the method of working with locks (You know better than anyone else how to lock yourself in and protect something. The library is huge. They don't try to guide every visitor in the right direction, but if you share your methods of protecting books, they will take you anywhere you want to go).
"Hmm, spirit helpers?
Blinking in an attempt to remember the so-called spirits, I accidentally caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar creature sitting a metre away from me. I shuddered and realised that a fox had entered my cabin completely silently. The little animal was studying the parchment I was about to write on with interested eyes." "Um... hello.
"
"You're the spirit helper, right? Well... I have a present for you," I smiled doubtfully at such an intelligent look. It seemed as if it was eager to see what knowledge was about to be recorded, and it was so eager that it was surprised when I stroked its head.
"Af!" He squeaked something in his own language, seemingly angry. Honestly, I would have patted him a little more, he was so soft, but I didn't want to tease, let alone fight with such a dwarf. Raising my hands in reconciliation and pretending to concentrate on the parchment, I began to think about Anubis's proposal. To be honest, I had thought about passing on my knowledge about the Avatar, but now I realised that there was no way to prove it. The spirit of wisdom was unlikely to be swayed by predictions; he would probably consider me a charlatan.
It was better to focus on the rewards.
For the sake of the first option alone, I could forget about the rest and focus exclusively on learning the deep secrets of the library. I had no idea how foxes would help in this matter, but it was the best option.
Unfortunately, I didn't have much food with me. Looking at my supplies, I realised that I would last a maximum of three days, then I would have to go back to the city. And the library must be huge; even searching for basic knowledge could take a lot of time.
And if the spirits themselves would help me, then I wouldn't have to wander through countless corridors for weeks, and I would be able to obtain all the information in the shortest possible time. It seems that in the canon, foxes calmly showed the heroes even the most secret places, but I suppose they did so only because of the presence of the Avatar in the team. I'm just an ordinary person...
"Alas. There aren't many options here." In order not to wander around the labyrinth, I had to make a detailed list of all possible ways to protect the books. The fox's interest increased tenfold, she even began to shift from paw to paw. "What, are you excited?"
"R-r-r...
"All right, I'm writing.
Finishing the several-page manuscript with a smile, I felt the fox pulling my sleeve with her teeth. She diligently dragged me to the exit of the cabin, then ran to the tower, constantly looking back and glancing in my direction. She watched closely to make sure I didn't run away, even when she was standing on the sheer surface like some kind of shinobi. Finally, using sand whips, I carefully climbed down inside and found myself on a stone bridge with a single lamp filled with a luminescent liquid made from beetles.
Around me were giant rows of bookshelves... shelves crammed with knowledge reaching up to the ceiling, which was impossible to reach without a ladder. Looking down from the bridge, I saw only endless darkness, which seemed as deep as the cave with the beetles. Looking enthusiastically at the fox sitting next to me, I realised that she was looking somewhere behind me. Turning slowly, I saw a giant owl hovering above me.
Why are they all so silent...
"You'd better get out of here, human," its calm voice instantly made him tense. Ordinary animals and people don't cause such unease, unless they're ready to pounce and kill you in the blink of an eye.
"It's that spirit... Great Wang Sheng Tong, I am a sand mage, belonging to the people with whom you once collaborated," he said, calming his heart and bowing respectfully.
"My library is closed to humans. You cruel creatures constantly use knowledge for evil, like the man who came here several years ago and burned an entire section of knowledge.
"That's... just awful!" My exclamation made the owl move its large head away. "As the heir to the people who helped this great library, it pains me to hear that. I think it was not in vain that I prepared knowledge that should help protect the books from the influence of narrow-minded people.
The hands respectfully presented the scroll of knowledge; I sincerely did not want to fight. The fox sitting next to me squeaked something that caught the owl's interest.
"How interesting. A talisman for my knowledge, that sounds reasonable, considering who might come here," the spirit waved its wing over my hands, and the scroll vanished. The owl's pupils dilated at that moment, as if it had already read everything in an instant. "What an amazing creature," I said. "I see your intentions are serious. But why have you come here?"
"To learn about the culture of the air nomads," I replied firmly, "Perhaps to find out more about the water and earth mages.
"Air nomads... a worthy people who have suffered greatly from the cruelty of humans. Well, you may wander here. My seeker of knowledge is interested in you; he will help you find what you want.
Turning his back on me, the spirit calmly jumped off the bridge and flew down into the depths of the library. I met the gaze of my new guide.
"My name is Dagoth.
"Af.
"Understood.
At my request, my new friend went to the section with the air nomads. We descended deep down until we came to a long row of shelves. Tapestries depicting the wind hung from the ceiling... In the canon, no one even mentioned the existence of this place. I even thought that it should have been destroyed, like the section with the fire people, but no. All of history, scrolls with techniques, here you could restore the culture of the air mages!
"Hah... an earth mage learning from air nomads. If anyone finds out, they'll twist my arm," I began to closely examine everything I could reach.
I will learn the other elements, like a true Avatar, heh.
***
Advanced chapters:
patreon.com/posts/avatar-139933426