Chapter 29: The Librarian’s Guardian

The air grew thick with the scent of curiosity, anticipation, and vigilance. The focused gazes of my two opponents met, seemingly exchanging silent information that was entirely beyond my grasp. With every new furrow on their brows, it became clear just how heavily their minds were taxed. Here were these elderly men, yet they were scowling like small children. Apparently, the subject of discussion was my induction into the White Lotus. I had only one pressing question: what, exactly, were the selection criteria?

Surely many are capable of winning at Pai Sho, as it’s a game common among all nations. There’s probably some six-year-old prodigy out there who can calculate moves nearly as well as a machine. Furthermore, the game reflects absolutely zero knowledge in other fields; more likely, a deeper character assessment is conducted during play. That’s likely why this Shu had been staring so intently at my face throughout every turn. Knowledge is undoubtedly important, what you possess and what you can share, as that is perhaps the very foundation upon which the order is built.

But what if our proverbial, imaginary child-prodigy turns out to be a psychopathic tyrant who uses that knowledge for purely malevolent ends? Of course, I realize any sane person would commit me to an asylum for these thoughts, as any organization is forced to take risks, and in the worst-case scenario, a member can be expelled, but I’ve always searched for complete answers to my questions. I just wanted to know the requirements for joining.

At that moment, the two old men glanced at each other, nodded slowly, and stood up. They moved toward the house and beckoned me to follow as they reached the doorway. The house was like all the others—roof, walls, and supports crafted from wood. The rooms were arranged one after another, separated by sliding doors; there were no corridors like one might expect in such a spacious dwelling. We passed through a small workshop and stopped in the kitchen, where old Yo took a boiling kettle from the stove and began to pour the tea. Shu sat down with me at the table.

The elders closed the doors and finally began to speak of themselves, slowly leading toward the point. According to them, they were merely members of the White Lotus, an order in which true value was placed on knowledge rather than combat experience or accolades on the battlefield. It was a non-violent society seeking to understand the truth; they rejected the boundaries of nation and social status, accepting any person of wisdom. They acted like sages who had dispersed the illusion of their own consciousness and discarded the limitations imposed by society.

In other words, they had come as close as possible to opening the penultimate chakra.

Shu and Yo spoke about their ancient order for so long that it began to grow dark outside again. The elders didn't tell me which famous figures were currently members of the Lotus, though I suspected they would have answered plainly had I asked. Nevertheless, the Lotus could truly offer me something more than just knowledge and combat experience. It could lift the restrictions on my mind and guide me toward opening the Chakra of Insight.

"Membership in the order is passed through the game of Pai Sho. After all, it is a game where you must know your opponent well. But you can also come to know them during the game itself, how persistent they are. Through their behavior, one can see how much they strive for knowledge, and mastery determines their hunger to understand human nature. However, you still need official permission from our Grand Master to gain access to our most sacred secrets."

The old men looked at each other again. Taking a measured sip of tea, the elder continued:

"Your style of play is deliberate, calm. By trying to calculate your moves, I drove myself into a trap. You prefer to defend. A lack of destructive ambition is revered, so the order gladly accepts you."

The fox had proven her cunning once again. As for that last sentence, the elders spoke it with profound respect. Apparently, I had just earned a massive amount of "honor points."

"We quickly realized that your first, clumsy game was only necessary to fool us," they said. But as smiles appeared on their faces, mine turned into a cold stone. "Cunning. To play so poorly just to baffle the opponent and learn their tactics before striking. It is a waiting tactic, the kind favored by King Bumi. It is what has allowed him to triumph in all his battles."

"Yes... I am exactly like King Bumi."

As a result, they began to feel that we understood each other perfectly. All the questions I had been asking myself could be tossed in the trash; they really did decide everything through the game. Perhaps I’m just too uneducated to grasp it.

"Crazy old men, I have no idea what you're talking about. How can you learn anything about me from these tiles?"

"Ahem, it was a pleasant game," I replied, nodding back with a fake smile. But taking my first sip of the tea, which was now stone cold, I nearly choked. "Holy dog, that’s delicious!"

The elders watching me suddenly frowned. I sensed trouble approaching; it felt as though I had just shattered my "wise sage" persona.

"Holy dog... of whom do you speak?" they asked, latching onto something else entirely. That was how I referred to Anubis, but I couldn't exactly tell them that. My eyes darted from side to side until they focused on the creature behind the elders. Afka was sitting quietly in the corner, looking at me with a smirk.

"The Spirit of Knowledge! Ahem, the great Wan Shi Tong, master of the Spirit Library... legend says he had spirit helpers in the form of foxes. And they, as you know, belong to the canine family," I babbled. They listened, swallowing every word. "I, you might say, am very fond of dogs. So much so that I cannot live without them."

"Are you... one of those scholars who sought the library?" They leaned in closer, hungry for me to pile even more noodles onto their ears. However, the answer could give me something more than mere prestige. If I told them... I could gain true respect among the wisest of the wise.

[Choose:]

[1 — You found the library (Do not hide your achievements. Tell them you discovered Wan Shi Tong’s library and drew much wisdom from it. Secret information about you will spread only through private White Lotus communication channels; you will become a welcome guest for every member of the order, but there is a high risk that your luck will run out, the information will leak, and a hunt will begin. By telling the truth, you move closer to opening the Chakra of Truth).]

[2 — Hide the truth (Lost benefits, a restriction of your own power; you will go to any lengths, even slowing your own development, just to save your life and keep the advantage solely for yourself).]

"Damn it."

Both options felt like a dead end and made me anxious. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead, and it wasn't out of fear. These options... were objectively terrible. I wasn't the kind of person who needed even more knowledge and profit, so I would have gladly just kept quiet and gained nothing. But that was impossible; the old men were searching my face.

"Would it really be such a big problem if I lied just once?"

[Every lie leaves a heavy imprint on the personality, and over time, you may lock the Chakra of Truth away forever. It is easy to hide the truth and achieve desired results through deception. It is hard to accept the consequences of your decisions.]

"It’s called a rational approach! Ugh, who am I even talking to? Why didn't you warn me in advance so I wouldn't even mention dogs? You're just mocking me!"

Since I chose the path of the Warrior, I have only two ways: forward, boldly into the abyss, or backward, into the swamp of weakness. The funniest part is that there isn't even an option to give away the library's location. Apparently, that idea is so idiotic that even Anubis didn't bother mentioning it. But there was one hitch... one person from the Fire Nation already knows the library's location; he even burned down an entire wing. It’s hard to believe he hasn't spread the word yet. Though... that’s the same man who will eventually kill the Moon Spirit. Likely out of a thirst for glory, he’s stubbornly keeping the secret from the Fire Lord.

Looking at it from the outside, I realized that by trying to secure a higher position in the military, he was clearly limiting his own power. So much knowledge, so much potential and wisdom, all sacrificed to malice and a thirst for destruction. What a small man.

"I did indeed find it," I said, nodding to the elders with a sad smile. Their mouths fell open as my thoughts battled with the instinct for survival... nevertheless, my heart quickly found harmony. I felt a heavy burden lift from my shoulders. "I am a desert dweller, after all. Like my ancestors, I managed to speak personally with the Knowledge Seeker and gain access to the hidden mysteries."

Well, that’s it. Being a Sandbender wasn't enough; now I’m truly screwed.

"And if possible, I would ask that you not tell anyone else about this..."

"This is incredible!" they interrupted. "Ask for whatever you wish, just answer me one question, the legends of the Lion Turtles, so often depicted by the Air Nomads, are they true? Were they truly capable of carrying entire cities on their backs?"

"Um... yes. One is definitely still alive, swimming somewhere in the sea. They were the ones who granted ancient people the ability to control the natural elements. For the most part, they were used to defend against spirits," I said thoughtfully, lifting my chin, recalling this more from the cartoon than the library. But the elders were still awestruck. They pulled out a book of old myths and legends where these creatures were vaguely described. They whispered excitedly about how my words perfectly filled the gaps in the book. "And yet..."

"It is wonderful. We can tell you about the best and wisest members of our order. It matters not their nation: Earth, Water, or Fire, they will accept you and allow you to attain true wisdom. We simply need to send them word that such an extraordinary person exists. Everyone will surely want to share their knowledge with you."

"Um..." Send word. It wasn't hard to figure out that the more "words" were sent out, the more problems I would have... eventually, something would slip. So, I gave it some serious thought. I needed a master and an expert in Chi, but one who wasn't all the way at the North Pole. I had secured imaginary access to them, but finding, and especially reaching, them without a flying bison was a real problem. And considering how many enemies I might meet along the way...

"Oh! Do you happen to know roughly where that circus is, the one traveling across our continent? And are there many of them?"

"Hmm..." The elders looked at each other.

"There is only one. And we shall find its location," they nodded.

I finally smiled. This was a chance to get close to vital knowledge about the workings of Chi. The only thing was... would She be willing to teach me?