Balance | Old Version

Chapter 63

Elua's POV.

"The library is buried! My life's ambition is now full of sand," Zei says as he falls to his knees, completely distraught. But, his face quickly changes into a smile and he pulls out a small shovel from his bag. "Well, time to start excavating," He says as he starts to dig with the tiny shovel.
"Actually, that won't be necessary," Toph says as she places her hand on the pillar. "The inside seems to be completely intact, and it's huge," She tells us.
"That fox thingy went in through a window. I say we climb up there and give it a look," Sokka says as he looks up at the small opening at the top.

"I say you guys go ahead without me," Toph says waving us off.
"You got something against libraries?" Katara asks as she puts her hands on her hips.
"I've held books before, and I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me," Toph says.
"Oh, right. Sorry," Katara says sheepishly.
"Let me know if they have something you can listen to," Toph says smiling.
"I'll stay with Toph," I tell the others as they begin to walk over to the pillar.
"You sure?" Sokka asks with a frown.
"Yeah, I don't really want to be underground," I tell him, he nods.

They make their way inside, leaving Toph and I alone together. We sit in silence for a while, until Toph begins to speak.
"So, you like flyin'?" Toph asks. I look over to her, unsure if she was talking to me or Appa. "Of course, I'm more comfortable on the ground, where I can see. Well, I don't see the way you do. I feel the vibration in the ground with my feet, but this sand is so loose and shifty, it makes everything look fuzzy. Not that there's anything wrong with fuzzy," Toph says, I raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Are you talking to me or Appa?" I ask her.

"I don't really know," She says with a shrug. I nod as a silence falls over us for a moment, but we quickly begin to laugh.
"So, I guess we can learn more about each other," I say with a small smile.
"Okay. Um, what exactly does the Nadir do?" She asks me curiously.
"Well, I'm meant to protect Aang. I help him get to the spirit world and keep balance in the world," I explain to her.
"Huh," Toph says. "So...what's with you and Sokka?" She suddenly asks. I tilt my head in confusion as I look over to her and frown.

"What do you mean?" I ask her in confusion.
"You know..." Toph trails off with a shrug.
"I really don't," I tell her.
"You like him," She states.
"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" I ask her with a frown.
"No, no, you LIKE him," She emphasizes.
"Yeah...because I've known him for a while now," I state, she shakes her head and sighs.
"You're not as bright as I thought you were," She says.
"What?" I ask as I throw my hands up.

"You like him and he likes you...romantically," She says. I stare at her with a frown, my eyes slowly going wide in shock.
"What? No, I don't," I tell her as I shake my head.
"You're lying," She states.
"No, I'm not," I say.
"Yes, you are," She says.
"No, I'm not!" I exclaim.
"Your heart is beating way faster then it normally does," She tells me.
"Because you just said I like one of my best friends!" I say as I throw my hands up again.

"I don't think you like him, I think you're in love with him and I think he's in love with you," She tells me.
"Where are you getting this from?" I ask her as I cross my arms.
"The way you both act around each other. The way your hearts beat, the way he talks to you, the way you look at each other...I can go on," She says smugly, I look at her with a frown.
"I am not in love with Sokka," I say as I look away from her.
"Whatever you say, Spirit girl," She says as she shrugs with a smirk on her face. "But, you are in lo-" She starts to say but, the library suddenly starts to move.

"The library's sinking. The library's sinking!" We both yell as we quickly get up, Toph runs over and tries to stop it from sinking any further. I go to help her but, suddenly, sandbenders start to attack Appa.
"Don't make me put this down!" Toph yells as she bends at them and misses before she quickly grabs the library again.
"I'll stop them!" I yell to her as I send a gust of air at them, but it does nothing. I send gust after gust, but they dodge all of them and throw ropes over Appa. "Let him go!" I shout as try to bend the sand, but due to it being so small, I can't bend it enough to do anything. I glare at them as they pull Appa down and tie his legs, I send a small ball of fire at them, but miss.

One of the sandbenders bends the sand into some kind of sharp object and sends it flying towards me, I try to stop it but I can't and it grazes my side, making me yelp in pain and fall to one knee. I look down at my side and see a huge gash, I put my hand to the would and raise my hand into my line of sight, to see it's covered in blood. My head becomes fuzzy, I try to shake it off and stand back up, but dizziness falls over me and I can't. I send a few more blasts at the benders, but it's no use and they begin to getaway.
"Appa!" I yell after them, but I have no choice but to watch them go. I look behind me and see the others climbing out of the library just as it sinks into the sand.
"We got it. There's a solar eclipse coming. The Fire Nation's in trouble now!" Sokka says smiling as he hugs Katara in excitement.

I take a deep breath and try to ignore the pain as I carefully stand up, my legs are wobbly as I walk over to them and my head is still fuzzy.
"Where's Appa?" Aang asks Toph, but she just shakes her head and doesn't look up at him. I start to feel dizzier and dizzier from all the blood I am loosing.
"Elua?" I hear Sokka say with worry. I try to shake away the dizziness, but it wins and I feel myself fall into the sand. I groan in pain, I can feel myself losing consciousness. I hear everyone gasp and hear them run over to me and kneel down.
"Elua?" I hear someone say again. "Elua!" Is the last thing I hear before everything fades away and I let the darkness overwhelm me.