The following documents are believed to be the records of Professor Zei, former head of Anthropology at Ba Sing Sei University, during his years in Wan Shi Tong's Library. This information has not been confirmed. The title given to these documents was merely the word written on the cover. Recovered by archeologists and sand-benders in the year 78 ASC (After Sozin's Comet), archived in the United Republic Hall of Records.

Knowledge

Age 40, Year 0

I'm still alive. I don't know how, but it's true. It's as true as the ink in which I write these words with, or the paper in which I write on. I should be dead. The library sank, buried in mountains of sand. I should have been killed. Yet, this place still stands, along with me and all else in it. That's not what really surprises me. That's not what should have killed me. He should have killed me.

I searched for this place for years, trekking out into the sands of that hellish desert, time and time again. Never successful, never coming close. It was all I ever wanted, yet all I could never achieve. Why should so much knowledge be so hard to find? If He brought it here for the benefit of us mortals, why make it impossible for us to reach? Well, guess it makes sense now. It was a test. One must prove their worth for knowledge.

This day was different. I met someone. If anyone could have helped me find this place, it was him. He was easy enough to spot. My years of anthropological studies made him recognizable on first sight. I had to talk to him. I had to tell him of my quest.

He was greatly receptive, as were his friends. In fact, his one friend was the one who seemed to convince the others to help me, proclaiming it "his vacation". I had no idea what he meant, but I didn't care. They were going to help.

It was unbelievable. Not only did this boy exist, but with him was a creature of his own home, a sky bison. I rode on it. Flight is never truly appreciated until you have experienced it. I doubt I will ever have the chance again, much less see the sky again. We spent hours looking, delving into parts of the desert I had never reached before. That's when it was spotted. The spire of the great Library.

My heart soared with the great bison I rode on. I had found it! What I had dreamed of most of my life, here it was, right before my eyes! It may have just been the spire, but that alone was enough. I knew what waited inside.

We ascended the spire and reached inside safely, and my dreams were achieved in ways I never thought possible. Books, scrolls, texts, tomes, writings, scriptures, everything there was to know, all in one place. I could barely contain my excitement. Before we could go anywhere, though, we met Him for the first time.

I had heard of the Great Knowledge Spirit many times, but I never imagined him like this. He was definitely wise, you could tell just by looking at him. The way his dark eyes pierced you told you great many things. He was awesome, and yet, incredibly terrifying. I wasn't sure if it was the wicked beak, or just his sheer size, but something told me that upsetting him was not desirable.

We all had to give something to Him to gain access to the Library. I gave one of my own books. It would not matter if I got it back. What I could learn from this place would fill a great many more books. He warned us not to use what we learned for nefarious means. I had no worry, and I trusted my companions, so I thought nothing of it.

As quickly as He arrived, He was gone. I was free, free to learn what I wanted. Knowledge was everywhere, and it was all at my fingertips. I spent no more time standing around. I dove for the nearest shelf and began delving into the vast amounts of wisdom it's writings could give me.

I must have spent hours reading. I could not be sure, time flew by, but it was all over too quickly. All I knew was that someone had not heeded His warning. That was the only explanation I was given. All I knew was that the Library was going down. The place shook, and sand came pouring through various openings, piling up quickly around me. I ran, trying to find where we had come in.

I eventually found the others, as the scrambled to escape up the rope that was our entrance and exit. I then saw Him again, only he was much worse. He had grown, and his whole body was over taken by anger. He was chasing them down, those who had offended his pride. He would have killed, I knew for sure, if they hadn't shaken him off at the last minute.

The boy, the impossible child who got me here, reached out to me, trying to help escape with them. How could I go with them? I had found my dream, and all I wanted was here. How could I let this place go? I turned him down, and went back to the books, reading what I could. This place was going down, with me in it, and I was taking whatever knowledge I could with me.

I waited. I waited a very long time. The Library kept sinking, kept going down. More sand poured in. It would be over soon. I would be lost with all this knowledge. That's when it stopped. The ground stopped shaking, the sand stopped coming. We had stopped.

I looked up from the book I was in. Great piles of sand were everywhere, many bookcases and shelves buried beneath their weight. There was barely any light, except from the few torches that still flickered. I stood and walked toward the rope that still dangled in the center of it. Looking up, I saw nothing. No light, no windows, nothing at all. I am completely submerged beneath the desert sands.

"You stayed here. You must be some sort of fool."

I had not heard Him approach. He was just there before me, still as powerful and menacing as before. His body was rigid, anger still gripping him. He leaned forward, his beak reaching down for my head. I felt his great strength around me, and I shook, my whole body wanting to collapse, yet not being able to.

"Please! Don't kill me!"

I did not think it would save me, but I had to try. For what felt like hours, he stood over me, able to kill me in an instant, but remaining motionless. Them, after what must have been forever, he moved back and looked through me with the ebony eyes of his.

"Tell me. Why should I not kill you? What makes you special?"

It was then that my knees gave out. I feel, and my head went down with it. My whole body was shaking, fear was all I knew.

"P-p-please! All I've wanted my whole life is knowledge. To learn what there was to know, and for no other reason than for that. Your library was my chance to achieve that. I have nothing else, and want nothing else. Just, give me a chance!"

Time must not work properly in this place, as time stood still once more as he stared at me. I did not move, my shaking slowly creeping away. Was he doing this, calming me somehow to make it less painful?

"I suppose you can do no more harm, being trapped in here."

I nearly swallowed my tongue. I still barely believe it now, writing it all down. I looked up at him, meeting his steely gaze. His face never betrays anything, but I could almost swear there was a twinkle in those eyes, some sort of spark.

"I will need help cleaning up all this sand. My knowledge seekers aren't very useful, not having fingers and all. You shall live."

He turned his back on me, slowly gliding his way across the floor. I thanked him for his mercy. He turned once more, and the hatred had locked itself behind the glare he gave me now.

"Do not mistake me, mortal. I keep you alive out of necessity, not kindness. If you do not keep your end of the bargain, if you dissatisfy me, if you so much as think of do anything against my wishes, I will kill you that instant."

He was gone once more. I'm on my own now. I have not seen or heard him in some time. I do not expect to live past the night. I do not even know when night is anymore. I will not last long. He will come back to kill me. He will change his mind, and come back. It won't be long. I leave this only so people will know the truth. I will be dead soon.