Avatar: shackled earth

The makeshift hideout deep within the mines had become their meeting place, a secret haven where whispers of rebellion could flourish. Tonight, it felt more alive than usual—tense but charged with purpose. Tomo, Ariya, Jiro, and the newcomer Kael gathered around the dim lantern's glow, their shadows dancing on the rough-hewn walls.

Kael leaned back against the wall, his wiry frame shrouded in the loose, tattered garments of a miner. His sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence, belying his disheveled appearance. "I've got the date," he said confidently, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "The next eclipse is in thirty-five days."

The words hung in the air, heavy with implications. Ariya crossed her arms, her sharp gaze narrowing as she scrutinized the man before her. "Thirty-five days?" she repeated, skepticism laced in every syllable. "That's awfully precise for someone who claims to have been captured and thrown into a mine."

Jiro nodded, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. "She's got a point, scholar. The Fire Nation wiped out every scrap of information about the eclipse decades ago. If the rest of us can't find a shred of evidence, how is it you know the exact date?"

Kael's smirk didn't falter. If anything, he seemed to relish the doubt. "You think the Fire Nation is omnipotent? Sure, they burned the books and silenced the scholars, but knowledge has a funny way of surviving in the strangest places."

Ariya scoffed. "Convenient answer. Got anything better than riddles?"

Kael straightened, his demeanor shifting to something more earnest. "I do. The truth is, I didn't learn this from any ordinary source. I found the date in a place the Fire Nation wouldn't dare to touch—Wan Shi Tong's Library."

The room went still. Tomo's breath caught in his throat at the mention of the name. Wan Shi Tong's Library—a legendary repository of knowledge guarded by a fearsome spirit. He'd seen it in the show back on Earth, and hearing it now sent a jolt of recognition through him. But the others didn't seem to share his reaction. Instead, laughter broke the tension.

"Wan Shi Tong?" Jiro barked, his gravelly voice echoing off the walls. "The giant owl who guards an underground library? You expect us to believe that?"

Ariya rolled her eyes. "You expect us to believe that? What's next? The moon spirit drops by for tea?"

Kael's expression hardened, the humor draining from his face. "You can mock all you want, but it's the truth. I traveled far and wide before I was captured, searching for answers the world had forgotten. And I found them—buried deep in the sands, where no one else dared to go. Wan Shi Tong's Library is real, and it holds knowledge beyond your imagination."

Ariya opened her mouth to retort, but Tomo raised a hand, cutting her off. "Wait." His voice was quiet but firm, his mind racing. "What did you just say? About the library?"

Kael met his gaze, sensing something in Tomo's tone. "I said it's real. And I've been there. The spirit guarding it—Wan Shi Tong—allowed me to enter, on the condition that I brought knowledge to share. It's how I learned about the eclipse."

"You're serious," Tomo said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You've actually been to Wan Shi Tong's Library?"

Tomo's pulse quickened. It all made sense now. Kael's confidence, his precise information—it wasn't a bluff. He was telling the truth.

But he couldn't explain his certainty. Not here. Not to them.

"Are you seriously buying this?" Ariya asked, incredulous.

Tomo turned to her, his expression firm. "I am."

She stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

"I can't explain why," he said carefully. "But I believe him. And I think we should, too."

Ariya threw up her hands. "That's it? 'Trust me'? That's your argument?"

Jiro frowned, studying Tomo closely. "You sound pretty sure about this. What aren't you telling us?"

Tomo hesitated, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. "I can't say. Not now. But I'm asking you to trust me on this. Kael's telling the truth."

The room fell silent as Ariya and Jiro exchanged a look. Finally, Ariya sighed. "Fine. I'll bite. But if this is some elaborate hoax, I'm not letting it slide."

Kael smirked. "You'll see soon enough."

Kael repeated. "Wan Shi Tong allowed me to see the scroll, as long as I swore to use the knowledge wisely. I never thought I'd need it until now."

The room fell silent, the weight of Kael's words pressing down on them. Ariya broke the silence first.

Ariya sighed, running a hand through her hair. " I guess I'll play along. But I'm still not sold on this 'giant owl spirit' nonsense."

Jiro scratched his chin. "Assuming this eclipse is real, we've got thirty-five days to figure out what to do. That's not a lot of time."

Kael nodded. "The Fire Nation won't be caught off guard. They know the eclipse weakens their firebenders, and they'll have contingencies in place. If we're going to take advantage of it, we need to plan carefully."

Tomo stepped forward, his mind racing. "We'll need more information. About the guards, their patrol schedules, and the layout of the mines. If we can map out their weaknesses, we might have a chance to escape during the chaos."

Ariya crossed her arms. "That's a tall order. And even if we manage to escape, what then? The Fire Nation doesn't exactly take deserters lightly."

"Let's focus on getting out first," Jiro said. "One step at a time."

Kael nodded. "I'll help with the planning. I might not know this mine well, but I've studied enough fortifications to recognize weak points. And if we need distractions, I've got a few ideas."

Tomo looked around at the group, feeling a spark of hope despite the odds. They had the knowledge, the determination, and now, a glimmer of a plan.

Thirty-five days.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to make a difference.