Chapter Eight

Cynn burst out of the mountain burrow, threw her arms out, and declared, "Finally out of that dark, damp, smelly hole!"

Devona would normally chided Cynn for being so… expressive and irresponsibly flamboyant, had she had not been in a great deal of agreement herself. After the putrid environment under the Southern Barrier Mountains, the normally scouring sand and searing heat coming from the fringe of the Crystal Desert was actually refreshing.

Reality suggested that would change soon enough.

"In case you people have forgotten, the desert isn't exactly a relaxing getaway spot. Let's move." Devona ordered, her tone still reflecting generous amounts of annoyance and bitterness. "I'd rather we found this Forgotten Academy before we run out of water."

Nearly five hours later, said water was starting to dwindle, and they had certainly traveled the five miles in the direction indicated, and then some.

"What do you suppose Grenth's Lieutenant meant by that we'd only find the academy if the denizens wanted us to find it?" Aidan queried, even though his voice inflected that he already knew one possible answer.

"My suspicion is that it's hidden in a similar manner as Glint's lair." Devona replied. "Which means we could be standing right on top of it, and never know."

"Or it could have been lying to us to get us out of its hair." Cynn huffed dourly.

"Arghazaz was not lying, nor is my academy hidden in the way of Glint's infinitesimally small home, Ascendants." A serpentine voice suddenly declared from behind them. "However, I did want for you to be some distance away before I showed myself."

The four turned about swiftly, hands preparing for battle even as they knew deep down that had their visitor wanted a fight it would not have spoken. An aged, wrinkled Forgotten appeared in their vision, somewhat surprisingly unclad in anything that would distinguish it from any other of its long ancestral kind.

"I am Sslani, Headmaster of the Forgotten Academy that you seem to be seeking. I apologize for making you wander so far… but while I may be curious as to why those who were gazed upon by the gods would come searching for my school of learning, I am not going to reveal its location to any in the outside world… not just yet."

"How did you know we were looking for your academy?" Mhenlo queried. "And how did we not see your school?"

"As for the first, I have limited means of communicating with the outside world. One of those is Arghazaz, who you call Grenth's Lieutenant. He was the one who informed me that four Ascendants had passed." Sslani answered. "As for the latter, I divulge the secrets of science only to those who I have deemed worthy of what I can teach. While you were considered, my dear Mhenlo, I found one other more suitable."

"May I be so bold as to ask what the purpose of your Academy is?" Aidan queried, not out of any genuine curiosity on his part, but that he noticed Cynn was about ask a similar question, but likely in not nearly as polite of words, a guess that he figured was correct by the baleful glare she gave him.

Sslani regarded the question with silent thought then said, "I suppose it would not hurt. I find and recruit the finest minds in all of Tyria, and together we explore the fundamental laws of how the world works the way it does. From there, we explore how to make those laws benefit us. Once I deem they have learned what is needed, I return them back to the outside world, where in theory they use that knowledge for the advancement of their respective lands.

Mhenlo questioned, "How many do you teach at any given time?"

Sslani's mouth turned upward in what they assumed was a sly grin, "Curious as to how many were chosen ahead of you, young man? Let me assure you that you were among the final selections, and that I on very rare occasions take more than one student from each of the various races of Tyria at any given time. I was of a mind to bring you with the other student I chose from Ascalon, but it appears that I was right in not doing so. You have already fulfilled a great purpose from what I can discern."

"It is actually that other student that concerns us, honorable Sslani, and not your Academy." Devona interjected. "Am I correct in assuming that other student was Prince Coran of Ascalon?"

"You would be. Why is it you seek this young man? I'm afraid that since the fall of Tranquility Temple, my eyes into that human kingdom have been shut."

"His father and elder brother have both… moved on." Devona said, the memory of both King Adelbern and Prince Rurik, bloody and broken, momentarily causing her to choke up. We have come to return him to Rin so that he may take his rightful place upon its throne."

"I see…" Sslani commented, one scaly hand gently rubbing its scalp, as if deep in thought. "Well, I fear if you have come to bring back a prince, you have come a long way for nothing. I sent him back to his lands two years and seventeen days ago…"

"He would have gone back to Rin…" Aidan said, his shoulders slumping in defeat, "…and right into the waiting fury of the Charr…"

"So he is dead." Devona concluded, the energy in her body draining like she had been struck with a Necromancer's curse. She chided herself for taking the news so hard… after all, the chance had been slim at best. But deep down, she had clung to that slim chance, and now that it had been dashed, it struck hard.

Sslani's next words seemed amused. "For a group that had fought through what must have been great peril just to reach this point, you have all given up quite quickly. I merely said Coran is not here, but I do know where he is."

The ember of hope that had seemed dead suddenly burst back to life brighter than before. Where the hope had once been uncertain, it was now with the apparent fact that Coran was actually truly alive, and this Forgotten knew where. Devona lunged forward, shaking the frail-looking serpent creature almost violently, demanding, "How do you know this and where can he be found?"

Cynn's hand dropped on one of Devona's forearms, and the elementalist chided, "Devona, it's an old snake. Try and be gentle."

Sslani, after taking a few moments to regain its bearings, waved off any concern. "Oh no, my dear, I find such energy to be a pleasant change from the quiet study of my life." It paused momentarily, as if deciding how best to explain itself. "As for how I know, I maintain ties with all my former students, and I'll say no more on that. As for the where, his caravan did come under attack by the Charr, but he did survive. And his patron goddess must have been watching over him, because he did find sanctuary in the Hylan Colony."

Aidan blinked, "The Hylan Colony? That's impossible. It was ravaged by the Charr even before the Searing."

Once again, the humor returned to Sslani's voice. "Really? You saw the razed buildings and immolated bodies?"

The ranger gave pause, and said, "Well… no… but the colony was far to the north of the Great Northern Wall. It would have had to have been overrun by the Charr long before they reached Rin and Ascalon City."

"Often assumptions are needed in order to proceed forward down the path of learning." The Forgotten answered. "Nonetheless, one must need to be prepared with the understanding that assumptions are often privy to adjustment. I often have to explain that to my students."

For the first time that any of them could recall, Aidan looked visibly perplexed.

"In other words, you are wrong." Sslani added. "The Hylan Colony still stands. It has resisted the surge of the Charr, albeit barely, thanks in part to my student… your prince. If you make haste, you should arrive before things become deathly dire."

"What do you mean?" Devona asked.

"He has reported that the Charr have slowly been turning more attention to the colony. While to this point, the colonists have been able to convince the Charr that destroying the colony would not be worth the numbers they would lose, he fears that dissuasion is losing its hold."

"When Ascalon stalled the Charr advance… it likely would have turned their attention towards other targets." Devona mused. "Nonetheless, there is a problem. The Mron prowl the tunnels through the mountains, and I fear we may have angered them."

Sslani nodded, "Yes… that is true. Arghazaz mentioned that those over-punished, yet treacherous beasts had sent you to kill him. They would not take your re-entry kindly. Which means you would have to go over the mountains… and that would take time you do not have… unless…"

Sslani swiftly slithered past them, and then abruptly stopped, motioning towards them with a broad sweeping motion. "Follow, and quickly… for if this does not work, you will not have time to spare."

Even for an old serpent, Sslani moved quite fast, and Devona found herself having to sprint several times to keep pace. By the time the aged Forgotten finally stopped, Devona was out of breath, and several minutes ahead of her companions, who eventually caught up.

Meanwhile, Sslani was clearing away dust and sand from a distressingly unused teleporter pad similar to those they had encountered quite frequently further into the desert. "You were not the first to desire a quicker and easier way past these mountains without going through the tunnel, and thus this teleporter was built. It was thusly abandoned as my people retreated into isolation, but with any luck, the pad on the other side will still be operational."

The Forgotten slithered onto the pad, looked back at the switches to identify the combination, then hissed in annoyance as none of the switches lit, then slapped itself on the forehead. "Of course… my people would have disabled the power flow through the conduit…" It muttered, and then said reassuringly to his human guests, "Fret not, I just need to reattach the energy couplings and prime the battery pack. They both should still be good. The tritium fuel inside the pack shouldn't decompose completely for another thousand years or so."

"Ooookay… anyone understand that?" Cynn quipped.

Sslani gripped hold of a panel on the side of the eastern prong hovering over the teleporter, and with a grunt, pulled it free. The fingers of his scaled hands dove inside with various clinking and clacking sounds, tinkering with whatever he was peering at. Then there was a loud whirring noise, then a grating sound before silence. "Ah ha!" The Forgotten declared, slipping back onto the pad and chirping happily as the switch sequence began to flash. "Now to see if the conduit is still stable."

It brushed past Cynn with total disregard, and tapped on each switch, quite pleased with himself as the warp energies flashed to life in a series of pale blue circles.

"Now, go!" Sslani ordered. "You still have great distance ahead of you, and there is no telling when or if the Charr will start their attack."

"Thank you, great Sslani." Devona said after ordering the others through the teleporter.

"I am glad to be of assistance, Devona. Coran was one of my favorite pupils. I would like to see him live a full life."

The warrior's eyebrows arched. "You know my name?"

Once more, Sslani's voice sounded amused, "Coran described you in remarkable detail. There were times where I wondered if he could talk about anyone, or even anything, else. But as much as I would love to relive old memories, I strongly suggest you go. I must return to my other pupils, and would like to disable this teleporter again."

"Oh!" Devona yelped, suddenly aware of how long she had been lingering. "Farewell then."

Devona sprinted up to the pad, disappearing instantly once her body intersected the circles of energy…