The professor was the first to step out.
"Hello there!" He said with a smile. I face palmed. Either he was incredibly brace or incredibly dumb. "I am Professor Zei, head of the Anthropology Department at Ba Sing Se University. I have come to your library to seek great knowledge."
"How dull," Wang Shi Tong said with a dismissive wave of his wing, "There is no knowledge to be offered to you here. I suggest you leave or I'll stuff you like an animal trophy." I glanced at the walls, lining with several dead animal heads. The rest of us stepped out. I felt an extremely powerful pull of spirit energy all around us.
"Are you the spirit that brought this library to the physical world?" Sokka asked. Wan Shi Tong inclined his head.
"Yes, I am." He replied "Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things." He swept his wing to us, "And you are obviously humans, whom are no longer permitted in my study."
"What do you have against humans?" Aang questioned. The own spirit scoffed,
"Hmph! Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. There was a firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy." Wan Shi Tong leaned down to meet Sokka's eyes. "So, who are you trying to destroy?"
"Whaaaat?" Sokka stammered out, "No no, no destroying... We're not into that." Way to keep it cool, Sokka.
"Then why have you come?" The owl spirit inquired.
"Uhm, for... knowledge sake?" Sokka tried. Wan Shi Tong was not amused.
"If you're going to lie to an all knowing spirit, at least put a little more effort into it."
"I'm not." Sokka tried again, grabbing Aang, and reaching for mine, pushing us both forward. "We came with some important people."
"Important?" I hissed under my breath. Sokka ignored me.
"I'm here with the Avatar," Sokka bopped Aang on the head, "And a..."
"Dragon Child." I said, trying to keep my focus on Wan Shi Tong's eyes.
"Yea," Aang said next to me, "Um, we can vouch for the rest of them... We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit."
"You have our word." I added, offering a bow.
"Hmmm." Wan Shi Tong's eyes seem to bore into mine. "Very well, you may pursue my vast collection. On one condition. You must prove your worth as scholars, and contribute some worthwhile knowledge."
One by one, everyone gave something. Professor Zei, a first edition tome. Katara, some water bending scrolls. Aang, his wanted poster.... and Sokka, a string tied into a butterfly knot. Wan Shi Tong turned to me, as I mentally panicked about what to present.
Tell him of which dragon spirit has returned to the Natural World. Ryuki's voice echoed in my head. I squared my shoulders, looking up at the owl spirit.
"I don't have anything physical to give," I admitted, "But I do bring news from the Spirit World." Wan Shi Tong seemed to be waiting. "The White Dragon Spirit resides in my body."
"Answer me this, child." Wan Shi Tong said, "For this would be new knowledge to me: What unique attribute does the white Dragon possess?"
"White fire." I said, "A flame so hot it would destroy anything in its path."
"Interesting." Wan Shi Tong said, "Consider that flame to not be used here. You may enter." I offered a stiff bow, as Wan Shi Tong jumped off the platform and flew down to other levels of the library.
YOU ARE READING
The Eternal Flame (ATLA) (FIRST PERSON POV)
Fanfiction"I don't want Ozai to die. I just want him to face the cruelty he's thrown the world and suffer, just like the world has. And death doesn't seem like an equivalent exchange." Kira is a Dragon Child, a child born with a spirit of a Dragon within her...
