Tara and Karki looked at each other. They looked back at Akira.
Karki asked, "But, isn't it 400 years too early?"
Akira smiled. "Where do we go for students? Do you think anyone would come to learn from a school that has two teachers, who are not exactly humans? Mages are still not aware of your race, unless they've been to Shambala."
Karki argued, "But Shambala is not open to the public. In fact, many people think its out of some fantasy novel. How are we going to get in?"
"You won't have a problem."
"On blood moon, when the portal opens maybe. On an ordinary day, unless its by king's invite, it's impossible to go in."
"But you know where it is."
"I have only heard of people talk about it. Maybe grandpa might have gone during to time of the dragon lord."
"King Suri's time?"
Karki nodded. "King Suri was well respected in Pātāla for his fairness. I remember that he visited Svarka too, once in his lifetime, that too with his father, bringing back with him the golden cage of virtue, which still stands in his palace."
"Oh, what is the golden cage?"
"It is the mana of conscience that guides its owner in case of any confusion in his or her soul. It's an important tool for just ruling. The workmanship of the Svarka beings are quite unique."
"On the day he got it home, he held a huge party, and grandpa was invited, then he was not an elder, but a young Prince of our kind. He was still a dweller in Pātāla. So he won't know to get to Shambala from here."
Akira turned to Tara. "You were able to detect the presence of the Nagas by the mana spike right? Can't you do the same?"
Tara shook her head. "Shambala is like this while land. You won't be able to sense any presence. Which is exactly why this is an ideal location for the school. Large amount of mana can go unnoticed. I cannot sense the presence of the Gate here."
All were quiet, pondering on the way forward. Karki suddenly broke the silence.
"Grandma, there is one thing I have heard from my grandfather. Everytime an auspicious event occurs, the High Priest is invited to the palace."
Akira nodded. "Okay..."
"The high priest is an ascetic. He cannot have a home. He will have to live in the forest, having renounced the world."
Enlightenment dawned Akira. "You are just brilliant! We find the high priest, we find our way in!"
Karki continued, "There are a hundred and eight high priests dwelling on Gaya. How do we find the one we are looking for?"
"Your grandfather must have seen him?"
"The high priest is a human, grandma. He would live at the most to eighty years, not more."
Lady Tara interrupted. "We find the oldest line of practitioners."
Both Karki and Akira looked at Tara. She continued to explain," The land of Shambala needs to be a secret right?"
They nodded. "Then it will have to remain a family secret. I am quite sure the high priest will pass on the secret to his successor before becoming an ascetic. It means, this school of priests would be atleast three thousand years old. There can't be many like that!"
Karki gave Tara a high five, making her blush a little. "You my lady are brilliant! This is true. There are only 7 such lines existing on Gaya, passed on from the 7 sages, the Saptarishis."
"It's time for us to track the secret seven then." Akira grinned. Their path was set.