"Wh-what are you doing here?!"

"I bet they're trying to get to the phoenix at the top of this mountain too! Is that it? Is that what you're after?"

Elaine inwardly sighed. She wondered why Targent would continue to send Rook and Bishop to find the eggs again and again. While they probably had some merit if they've been able to keep their jobs (and possibly their lives) this long, they clearly weren't that competent with something as important as this. They were certainly a stark contrast from Bloom. The only reason they could have been was if it was done purposely for some reason.

But… For what reason? What would Targent have to gain from constantly loosing Azran eggs to them? Unless… Unless it was a case of letting them find the eggs and once the dirty work was done, swoop in and take the spoils? It sounded fairly realistic. That was pretty much what had happened to the Infinite Vault, and every other Azran ruin. Even if they were likely trying to find them themselves.

"We've already been there as a matter of fact," Professor Layton told them, a smile coming to his face. "Most magnificent wing feathers, that bird."

"Bah," scowled Rook. "Pipped at the post again. And after all the time we poured into solving that riddle…"

"Hurry up, Rook! Let's go and see the phoenix!" Bishop interrupted, causing the taller man to frown.

"Were you even listening, Bishop? They've already got the egg."

"You never know! The phoenix might lay another one just for us! No harm in asking! See you ahead!" Rook groaned when his partner ran off ahead. This must have been common even before this adventure.

"What have I told you about running off?! If you fall into another trap…"

"Surely they do not intend to provoke that bird into laying an egg for them?" Aurora asked, looking on as Rook ran off.

"Well, they'll have a difficult time of it," Luke said, frowning in the direction of the Targent soldiers. "Alder is definitely male!"

Back in the city, there was no difference. It was still quiet, and the few children that they could see still looked rather downhearted.

"Well, this is quite a predicament, and we're still no closer to finding the egg," Desmond remarked.

"If we could locate someone involved in town planning, it would be an altogether different story," mused Professor Layton, and Emmy shuck her head lightly.

"That's not going to happen anytime soon. I haven't seen anyone older than Umid on the streets. And the only clue we have to go on is that there might be an enormous bird that sparkles. Where on earth should we look?" Desmond appeared to have had some sort of idea. Proven when he spoke up.

"A moment…"

"Professor Sycamore?"

"Umid said that all the adults in Mosinnia are suffering from this interminable sleep," Desmond explained to the Professor. "Yet you, Miss Altava, Elaine and I have shown no signs of drowsiness or exhaustion."

"Yes, I suppose that's true," Emmy agreed. "But what does that mean?"

"Whatever induced the sleep is unlikely to be an airborne contagion of some sort. It must have come about by some other means," Professor Layton theorized.

"Maybe there's some sort of infection in the food or water?" Elaine suggested.

"Perhaps," Desmond nodded. "But we need more information."

"The children might be able to give us some clues."

Most of the children avoided them or were staying inside with their parents. However, the ones that they were able to approach were able to tell them some facts relating to this incident. From what they had found, the night before this happened, there had been a festival in honour of the phoenix. All age groups appeared to help themselves to the food provided, though when the children had been sent back home the adults stayed longer.

A little girl also mentioned her grandmother mumbling in her sleep about the phoenix. Aparently she was the 'Keeper' according to Umid, and was the wisest person in the city. As she looked after a temple, that seemed like a good place to investigate.

"I take it this is the temple you were talking about, Umid?" Desmond asked as he looked at the temple. From the archway, Elaine could see a stained glass window in the shape of a phoenix. The light shining through it made it look as if it were glowing, ready to burst into flames. Above the archway, there was a mural in the Azran stone. "The architecture is stunning, though it's a shame to see it in disrepair."

"Are there any clues about the legend?"

"Please, don't rush me. This is without doubt Azran stone. But I can discern very little from the design. It's a shame that the person who would know the subject best is incapacitated." Desmond glanced down at the Keeper. It was odd to see the woman just standing near the archway and sleeping.

"She's sleeping standing up?" Aurora questioned, slightly bemused.

"Her legs are probably going to be tired when she wakes up," Johanna commented.

"She's been like this the whole time," Umid explained, a small, sad smile on his face. "She won't wake up, but she won't lie down either. It's pretty strange."

"Ph… phoenix," the Keeper mumbled inbetween snores. "Wake the… ph… Zzzzzzzzz… Solve… mural…Lies… sleeping…"

"Wish I knew what she was on about," Umid mumbled. "Well, I guess we should start looking around…"

"What about that tombstones?" Johanna pointed towards the stone surrounding the pathway towards the temple. "Maybe there's something about the phoenix there?"

"You may be right, Johanna." Johanna faintly blushed, but gave a small, bashful smile towards her father. "The temple appears to be dedicated to the phoenix legend. These stone slabs are, in fact, not gravestones, but historical tablets."

"And this one looks different to the rest," Elaine said as she spotted one with writings similar to those of the Azran dome back in Kodh. "Could you read it, Aurora? I would, but you would read it faster than I would translate."

"I shall," Aurora looked to the tablet and began reading from it.

'The phoenix grants guidance only to the chosen few, those who bear the celestial burden and complete the perpetual cycle.

'Igneous bird born of dawn's west rays, cast your flaming wings over noon skies till your journey ends under an eastern moon.

'Those who complete the cycle, find your way to the entrance of the phoenix's protection.'

From the riddle, it seemed to suggest that first, it cycle had to be shown somewhere. The mural had seemed the best option and after a little climbing from Emmy to reach it, she was able to turn some of the symbols until a tremor was felt for a few moments before they had stopped. That was a good sign they were on the right track at the very least. But they still had to solve the next part of the riddle which after a quick deduction, led them close to the entrance the group had first entered through to get to the city.

While not noticeable at first, and Azran plaque was soon spotted on a side of a clock tower, a result from solving the mural riddle. The riddle on it was translated as,

'From its ashes of birth, the reborn bird takes flight from the pinnacle of time and seeks respite westwards.

'Beyond lie six immovable mountains. The phoenix settles on the second peak, before crossing another on her way to paradise.

'The mountains she touches are resplendent with eternal light. When all is true, the bird shall open her heart.'

From the suggestion of the riddle, they had to look left of it and noticed six slabs of stone along an archway. From there it was easy enough to figure out. They just had to press the second slab on the right hand side before pressing the middle one. After that, another tremor occurred but left as quickly as the first.

The golden phoenix statue seemed the best place to look next, and when they arrived there the statue was gone, leaving a circular hole in which the statue sank down to reveal words written along the edges of the put.

'Its heart exposed, the phoenix stirs.

'When life's essence flows from the great gate, the ancient bird will rise from slumber.'

From there, the clue seemed to point in one direction. The sluice fate of the cistern was a very likely candidate to be the 'great gate'.

"It doesn't look like anything's changed since last time…" Umid commented, frowning at the unchanged cistern.

"Perhaps if we open the gate, something will occur," Elaine suggested.

"What, this ancient thing?" Umid had an incredulous look on his face. "You really think it'll move?"

"I don't see why not," Elaine replied. "If it's stiff though, we may need to put extra effort into it."

"I don't think we'll need to use much force, Elaine," Desmond said as he examined the sluice. "It's just another puzzle that needs to be solved.

The plague the riddle was on had an image of a phoenix on it, and stones to be placed into slots that when placed correctly, turned to reveal a sun image.

Both of the professors worked on this riddle, and when it was solved, the faint sound of water could be heard. It slowly built up and everyone stood back as the stone doors slowly opened, releasing a rush of water into a shallow trench, creating a river that moved through the forest and headed in the direction of the sleeping town.

Entering the town, the new water source created an image of a phoenix that shun brightly against the sun. Sparkling even.

"The phoenix really is pretty," Johanna commented.

"Yeah, but if the town's supposed to be the phoenix, what are the phoenix tears?" Luke questioned.

"Well, as tears flow from the eyes, I'd say that if we look for one of the phoenix's eyes, that is where we will find our cure," explained Professor Layton. Umid gave a light smile, and was clearly eager to move again.

"I know just where we can go to find an eye. Follow me!"

There was a quick rush down the hill to get back down to Mosinnia. They did see Bishop and Rook looking deeply perplexed by the missing statue, but didn't pay them much attention. They weren't too much of a threat now anyway.

"Here," Umid said when they reached a small hill surrounded by water, acting as the head of the phoenix. It didn't seem too special at first, however there was a small rumble as the grass appeared to move back on the hill like fabric unveiling a hidden object. In this case, a tomb with steps sticking up from the water to let them move across.

Inside of it, there were many blocks with engravings on them, and stains of melted wax on the floor as well as thinned candles that would likely die when they would be lit a final time.

"What have we here?" the Professor questioned with interest.

"There are slabs of text everywhere…"

"It must be an Azran library," Elaine murmured after Emmy, taking in everything as the corners of her mouth twitched up. This would have been an amazing place to have looked into had Elaine never been brought into this play of mystery and adventure, and remained a curator and archaeologist. Though, she couldn't exactly say her current position was bad.

"An Azran library?!" There was a faint look of annoyance on her face. "But what about the tears we're looking for?"

"I would hazard a guess that the phoenix's tears are a remedy that we must concoct ourselves." The Professor said.

"Most likely the Azran created the legend to ensure that only the most determined intellectuals made it here," Desmond theorized.

"The Mosinnians must have known. This place can't have gone untouched for so long."

"We should probably get started on waking the adults 'ere first though," Elaine said as she walked towards the slabs, trying to look for one that would help their situation. "We'll just need to 'old back our little egg 'unt back a little until we do see."

"Yes, that would be the right thing to do," Desmond agreed. "Though do you think you can look through all this, Elaine?"

"I don't see why I can't," Elaine scoffed. "Looking for a cure is relatively simple compared to other translations I've done, monsieur."

It hadn't taken long for Elaine to find the recipe for the cure, and they were fortunate enough to find the ingredients for the cure in the forest as well as a few in the city. After it was brewed, they were able to administer it to all of the adults, waking them from their sleep. The cause for the sleep had actually been a fairly innocent accident. The adults had had an after party on the night of the festival, and they had eaten a mushroom stew that the cook had used the wrong mushroom in, causing it to make the adults fall asleep.

And in return, they were given a 'phoenix' egg. The last Azran egg they were looking for.

They found them all. All of the eggs. They were steps closer to finding the Azran legacy.

And Desmond's exact motives.