Chapter Ten

"What I want to know is why it ran away as soon as the Airbenders came." The blue-clothed warrior said into the fresh morning air. The reassembled party of four was now soaring through the skies above the Earth Kingdom, heading south-westwards. The cold, fast winds of the morning whipped their faces, sending Toph and Suki's hair fluttering aggravatingly.

"Maybe it couldn't handle so many enemies?" The female warrior suggested halfheartedly, her mind was obviously in another, darker place.

"No," Aang denied her, "Shang, the Earthbender who came with us to the Air Temple, said that the alien had bested the entire Gaia Garrison. Oh and Sokka, I'm fairly sure it's a 'he'." The Avatar explained, "I think it was more due to the fact that they were Airbenders." He theorized.

"But why would anyone be afraid of Airbenders?" Toph's question rang out, laden with skepticism. The Dai Li was sitting in a lonely spot at the very back of the saddle, sulking over the loss of her "sight" at the moment.

"That's what I'm worried about…" The monk replied ominously, and returned his attention to the reigns. Appa let out a small roar of boredom and Aang pet his massive head, the Bison's soft plume brushing against his hand gently.

"I kind of thought those monsters were with the alien, but I really hoped they weren't. I suppose that just makes him more dangerous." Sokka pointed out in a gloomy tone, wondering exactly how many of those monsters were roaming the Earth Kingdom.

"Shang seemed to handle them pretty well," Toph let out a sliver of brightness, "I don't know if any of you saw, but the Earth Saws he made are actually a pretty advanced technique." She informed them.

"Speaking of which," Sokka interfered, shifting towards Aang as he continued. "What did that lizard mean when he said 'Third and Fifth Level Earthbenders'?"

"Oh, well, there used to be a way to measure a bender's power, ages ago… but we don't use it anymore, mainly because in the war benders didn't exactly go around showing off their powers. Well, anyone outside of the Fire Nation anyway…" Aang explained with care, remembering it from the times before the war.

"How does it work?" Suki asked; there was only a shard of interest in her voice, being non-bender herself.

"Well, Level One indicates a standard Bender, like Haru. Level Two would indicate a Bender with advanced combative training, like say, the Dai Li, though I'm pretty sure that the new batch under Toph would be Level Three." Aang described the levels slowly.

"Which is?" Toph questioned.

"Bending Masters, like your old Master Toph, Master Yu?" The Airbender asked and Toph nodded.

"How about Level Four and Five?" The Water Tribesman inquired, shifting into a semi laying position on the side of the saddle.

"Level Four, I think that's supposed to mean a very powerful Bender, like King Bumi, or Master Pakku." Aang said, "And Level Five indicates a Bender of the most powerful Level of his or her element. So there can only be one, who would be replaced by the person who defeated them."

"I suppose Avatars don't count in this calculation do they? Since they pretty much beat everyone else blindfolded…" Sokka stated, picking loose threads off his clothes.

"Well he did say 'and the Avatar…' Or something like that didn't he?" Aang stated.

"So what's the deal with this alien Aang? Do you think it's going to chase us?" Toph asked, lowering her Dai Li hat over her face to stop the wind from blowing on it.

"I don't know, the vision was very… inconclusive." Aang said quietly, not adding anything to it, "Which is exactly why I want to make a stop on our way to the Fire Nation."

"A stop?" Sokka asked, straightening up, "Where?"

"You'll see soon enough..." Aang said, and pulled back the reigns to make Appa rise above the clouds, so the ground was completely concealed from them.

This flight lasted for several hours, Suki had fallen asleep on one side of Appa's back, while Sokka was snoring on the other. Toph might as well have been sleeping for all Aang could tell, since her Dai Li hat was still over her face. So Aang was slightly surprised to feel her hand on his shoulder.

"Aang," She said softly, "Something seems to be bothering you… Is everything okay?" Aang felt Goosebumps spread on his skin, this new compassionate Toph was unnatural, and was making him feel very uncomfortable.

"I… well you saw how I lost control back in the fight with Gaius…" He said, "I didn't mean to use such strong Firebending. I was just…"

"I know… I felt that way too." She said, now giving him some sort of gentle massage, mainly to have something to do with her hands.

"And this whole thing, everything… things don't make any sense, they don't connect. Back in your brother's town, why did someone frame you for that guy's murder?" Aang asked.

"Maybe it happened so that I could meet my brother? You know sometimes things happen for a reason, even if we as humans can't understand it." Toph said; a smile spread on her lips and on Aang's as well.

"You think so?" He asked, amused.

"You never know." She replied mock-seriously, shrugging theatrically. And both laughed.

"What's with all the laughing? Can't a guy get some sleep around here?" Sokka asked, rubbing his eyes.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Aang called back to the warrior, "We're here." He whipped Appa's reigns gently and the creature made its descent, lowering down through the thick layer of clouds.

The view that spread before them was of a vast ocean of gold, shimmering in the morning sun, like mounds of treasure stretching everywhere the eye could see, the breathtaking dunes, as waves of the sea was all for their eyes to take. They were in the desert. Aang must have veered Appa further southwards while they were above the clouds.

Though he had his doubts, Sokka thought he knew where Aang was heading.

"We're heading for that crazy owl again aren't we?" He asked, looking down at the magnificent golden hills.

"Yes we are." Aang answered immediately, Toph sat behind him, unfascinated by the view she could not see.

"I'm not sure he'd be very glad to see us again." She stated, though Aang simply smiled.

"I'm sure he's forgotten and forgiven." He said, "Look, there's the library again, it's above the surface!" He called cheerily and pointed to a single tower emerging from the sea of sand.

There was definitely something creepy about his cheerfulness now, Sokka thought, but after further contemplation he decided not to bring it up.

Appa landed rather reluctantly on the hot sand, having only bad memories from this place, but he did as his human companion directed and landed next to the structure.

Aang dismounted with a leap to the sand, raising a small cloud of it into the air. He began heading towards the library, seeming completely calm for someone who was about to face the same creature that nearly buried him in the past. But when Sokka and Suki made to follow, he raised his hands.

"Actually guys, I think I should go in alone… I'm pretty sure he won't be happy to see you, Sokka." The warrior scowled, and muttered several choice words about the owl. Suki merely shrugged and settled back into her corner, and Toph once more seemed uncaring as to whether she should ever visit this legendary palace of knowledge.

Aang took one last look at his party, reassured that they should be perfectly fine for a few moments without him, and then with a leap he entered the Library of Wan Shi Tong.

The ancient structure was pristine; the stone zodiacs were just as they were when Aang had visited twenty five years ago. The library shelves towered ominously over the aisles, and the many bridges connecting them. Aang hesitated for a moment and then called.

"Wan Shi Tong!"

At once a massive gust of wind blew Aang's robe upwards, as the gigantic owl soared up and landed right next to him with a heavy thud.

"Avatar Aang, I have not been expecting you so soon." The owl's voice was as monotonic as ever, and his shining black orbs stared unblinkingly into Aang's grey-hazel ones.

"You've been expecting me?" The monk asked, if his voice did not show his surprise, his face surely did.

"As I said, I have not been expecting you this soon." The owl repeated calmly, standing perfectly still.

"So you know about the aliens? What's going on here?" Aang pleaded urgently, but the owl stood as still as a statue, and he answered as coldly as one.

"It is not yet time, return to me when you have completed your task." And at that, he turned to leave, leaving Aang standing stunned behind him.

"No wait!" Aang jumped above the spirit and intercepted it. "I have to know what's going on! You have to tell me!"

The owl sighed, obviously expecting that exact response.

"Not yet, focus on your quest, Avatar Aang. I cannot speak of the aliens with you." The owl spirit turned his head fully around.

"Ah, Professor Zei, perhaps you would like to greet an old acquaintance?" The owl asked as the echo of footsteps could be heard throughout the library. Then the spirit's head snapped back into position and he explained.

"Professor Zei has been helping me and my helpers renovate and maintain the library, even going through as much as replicating the older scriptures into new parchments. He has completely undermined my theory about mankind."

"Avatar Aang, a pleasure to see you!" The middle-aged professor emerged behind Wan Shi Tong's form, greeting Aang warmly.

"Professor Zei! I'm glad to see you're well." Aang said, bowing respectively.

"Avatar Aang, if you have no further questions, I will return to my affairs." Wan Shi Tong informed and spread his wings wide, about to take off.

"Wait! If you can't tell me about the aliens, tell me about the Earth Monsters!" Aang called, and Wan Shi Tong stilled.

"Very well, I hope you have brought knowledge to exchange for this information." The Owl Spirit reached out with his wing expectedly.

"Yes, I did." Aang pulled out three rather heavy books, labeled, 'Water', 'Earth' and 'Fire', "an eyewitness account of the Avatar's course to end the One Hundred Years War, written by me."

The owl seemed very pleased as it withdrew the tomes, "Wonderful, I am anxious to read them." Then he cleared his throat, "Very well, the Earth Monsters you speak of are not monsters at all." The owl hooted suddenly, and apparently out of nowhere, one of his foxy helpers arrived with a large scroll. Professor Zei rewarded the animal with a treat and then spread the scroll in front of Aang.

"They are Elementals, the Vengeance of the Planet." The owl explained, as Aang studied the scroll carefully, "They are bending spirits in a corporeal form. They are as versatile in power as humans are, and are very dangerous. There are not many accounts of them in history, and if there are, I am not aware of them. That is all I can tell you for sure, Avatar Aang."

Aang nodded slowly, taking in every word and analyzing it twice in his mind, this was not very illuminating, but at least now he had a better understanding of what they were, even though he had no idea why they were assisting the aliens.

"Thank you, Wan Shi Tong. I'll come back once I've completed my quest." Aang knew it was futile to ask the owl to tell him more, he was about to turn and leave, but he noticed Professor Zei was staring at him curiously.

"You've grown much Aang." The elder said fondly, "And you've done many amazing things, or so I've heard."

"I… guess," Aang said, rubbing the back of his head slowly as a twinge of guilt passed through him. "I'm sorry we left you here professor…" He started apologetically, but the elder simply raised his weathered hand to shush him.

"I did not want to leave. Besides, it was for the best, Wan Shi Tong was so impressed with my thirst for knowledge that he had regained faith in the human race… but not before several years. I suppose you must be going now, but you must come back and have a chat with me one day."

Aang nodded, speaking through a smile, "Of course professor, I'd love to."

000

"So what did the giant owl say?" Sokka asked as Aang landed on Appa's back with his uncanny agility.

"He said those Earth Monsters were Elementals, but that's about it. He said that if I come back later he might know more about the aliens. So once we gather everyone, we should stop there." Aang was lying, he felt terrible about it. In fact, he didn't even know why he was lying. He just couldn't bring himself to tell him that the owl refused to tell him, the Avatar, the bridge between the real world and the Spirit World, the truth.

"Let's go, we have a long way before we reach the Fire Nation." Aang said, lifting off.


"Wake up guys." Aang called, and the three adventurers woke to a breathtaking view of blue waves shimmering with gold, the salty breeze of the ocean reached their noses as soon as they awoke, and the ocean breeze did much to make Toph seek warmth with Sokka. And there, silhouetted against the sunset, was the Fire Nation.


Author Notes: Sorry for the long wait and for the short chapter, but the military had me working hard, hah, well I hope you enjoy it. The next chapter will be much more interesting than this one I guarantee you…

Trivia: Gaia belongs to a different species of Badger Moles, Badger Moles in Omashu and Gaoling are bright brownish and with amber eyes, they belong to the native species of the Southern Earth Kingdom, since the Earth Kingdom is gigantic, the only other Badger-Mole species (which are rarer) lives on the other side. Usually black coated and with bright red or lavender eyes. Major Massacre had found Gaia as a boy and took care of her since, she was one of the reasons he excelled during the war with the Fire Nation.