"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes".

I will kill you, if you don't catch me you idiot", I said before closing my eyes as I jumped down screaming in terror that he will drop me.

I heard a low chuckle as I felt my body swaying in the air. I opened my eyes slowly to see I was in Aadi's arms.

I snapped my head towards the wall to see it was creaked at the middle allowing a small gap through which a medium sized human can pass.

"As much as I love to hold you in my arms forever, Now will you please get down, madam", he smirked. "My hands are numb", he smiled smugly.

Dear God, This guy will not pass a chance to tease me.

"You have to put me down first", I hissed through my teeths glaring at him as I loosened my arms around his neck.

"Oh god, it's completely dark inside. Should we go in", I asked staring at the pitch dark chamber behind the wall.

"No, we can just stand and stare from here", he mocked before moving towards the dark chamber.

"It's such a wonder!!,  a dark passage behind a wall", I exclaimed moving behind him still dumbfounded by the place.

"Be careful there are humps on the ground", he warned guiding me inside the dark-narrow passage as the only source of light was coming from our small torches.

The passage was completely empty and was covered with cobwebs. There was not even a slight hole left for either light or air to come inside.

As we moved ahead I felt suffocated by the dust and lack of oxygen inside. My breath began to come out as pants as I choked on the air while  inhaling deeply.

"Hey are you alright?", Adi stopped in his track.

"Don't worry. I will be OK, let's move forward", I said panting due to short supply of air in the chambers.

"Hold on, I think we are almost at the end of the passage as I can see something like a door at the far corner", he comforted as we began to move towards the other end.

"I'm feeling like we are crossing a country border", I huffed as we finally found the other end which was also like a plain wall with some designs on it.

"Now is there someway to open this?", Adi knitted his brows observing the wall.

"I believe, we have to find the answers by ourselves", I mumbled observing the strange designs on the wall.

"Adi, look at this carefully", I pointed towards the carving of a 3 whorled flower.

"I think we can move or rotate the inner petals. They look like a key that is inserted in a lock( big petals)", I wondered.

"Hmm, let me check this", he said holding the inner circle of petals, and tried rotating them, but it was fixed firmly on the stony structure.

"No its not moving, it's tightly fixed", he grunted trying hard.

"What if we try to pull or push", I wondered as it was fixed freely like a bolt on the wall.

"Alright", he muttered trying to pull it out but couldn't.

This time he pushed it inside with a force like hammering a screw in the wall and to our surprise it moved inside , now attaching to the surface without any gap.

We watched in awe as the small space opened at the bottom making screeching sounds of a rock wall moving.

But what shocked us was, there was a low light that was glowing the other side.

"I will go ahead and then you follow me behind", Aadi said as he crouched on his knees handing me the hand-torch.

"Be careful Adi", I warned him as we didn't know what was in the other side.

He squatted on the ground and crawled on his stomach through the small opening.

"My goodness", I heard his astonished voice from the other side.

"All ok", I asked him tensed.

"Yeah, common in", he said in amazed tone.

Why is he si surprised? What's there inside?

I squatted on the ground, pushing the torches first and crawled through the hole. Bright lights greeted me as I crawled past the hole.

The air inside the space was emitting divineness. I could feel the positive radiation and vibes from the surrounding even before I lifted my head to take a  look at the surrounding.

I groaned standing up loosening my tight muscles.I finally took a look at my surroundings and my eyes widened.

My body stilled and my head went blank for a moment.

No this could not happen. Noway...

Maybe I'm dreaming.

My head jumbled with lots of thoughts as my body began to shake uncontrollably. My heart fastened its pace taking in the divine form infront of me.

I stumbled back a step  as my hazy mind finally registered the mind-boggling truth that was infront of my eyes.

"Calm your nerves, Ira. Try to take in deep breaths please", Adi took hold of me before I could collapse on the ground.

I slumped in his arms as I tried to cool my tensed nerves. My tongue coiled itself in my throat not allowing to form any words.

"I think it's a dream Adi, there is no way we are here. right?", I tried to convince myself that it was all an illusion but my heart knew the truth.

"No, this is not a dream. Come to your senses, Ira", Adi  shook me.

"We are standing inside the sanctorum (garbagriha), of goddess Bhairavi ", he said firmly.

"And yes, you are witnessing the divineness of her majestic form infront of your eyes", he said glancing at the divine form with devotion and bliss in his eyes.

I pulled away from him as my body slumped down to ground on its own, as
tears brimmed in my eyes witnessing the unparalleled power that was radiating from her. I kneeled down  bowing infront of her joining my hands.

Loud sirens followed by beating drums echoed inside the temple, indicating its exact midnight. My heart drummed against my chest hearing the loud echoes in the empty temple.

It isa custom here. The automatic set- electric drums will start beating at exact midnight, as they believe that the divine cosmic energy will be heightened at this time of a day.

I took in her divine-cosmic beauty adorned with invaluable ornaments. The large diyas(lighted lamps), lighted inside the garbagriha lightened up the entire room faintly, making her jewels shine like glittering stars enhancing her
beauty at the same time brightening the entire universe.

At that moment her face shined like infinite suns put together. Her face appeared like a ocean filled with compassion. I felt like she was staring at me lovingly.

Her idol was no longer a stone statue to me, it appeared like a heavenly form.

My heart swelled at the moment with devotion, at the same time the beating of drums stopped outside.

"No one  are allowed to enter inside the garbagriha, except the priests", I mumbled worriedly."Especially not at this hours".

"Yes, that's true. But we didn't enter intentionally. I believe that the goddess lead us here with a reason", Adi reasoned.

I nodded at that.

"I think not even priests are aware of this secluded way to enter inside".

I said staring at now opened passage that appeared like a plain wall from this side. It was impossible to guess there is a passage behind it.

"So, if the locket lead us here and as per your dad's words, our final lead to understand this mystery is hidden here", Aadi said gazing at me.

"Yeah", I huffed.

"It will be hidden away from our plain sight, same as before. We have to observe carefully", I added.

"I think this time, we can neglect looking at the walls", Adi pointed looking at the rock walls.

"Why", I asked.

"Because these walls are usually altered. You know they will wash and paint regularly and some time they will make changes in the wall designs, so there is noway there may be some secret sites or chambers here", he explained.

I agreed with him.

We examined the entire garbagriha carefully. Everything here appeared unique and different.

But we couldn't pinpoint towards anything specific that could be helpful for us.

There were tons of books and papers in the cupboards all related to temple, along with lots of jewelleries, that were not locked.

Oh goddess please forgive me, for touching your things....

I hope you forgive your poor children. Pls....

Don't curse me.... I'm not stealing anything.

"Will you stop it please?", Adi muttered annoyingly moving towards the back of  the idol.

"What did I do now?", I asked confused at him.

"You are blabbering like a fool", he scolded like a strict parent.

Did I say it all out?

Oh dear God!!!!!

"Ok, what's wrong in that? I was just asking forgiveness from god  for entering like thieves", I huffed moving towards him.

"What is that", I kneeled beside him as  he was intently observing something behind the main diety's idol.

"I think it's the original goddess structure", he pointed at the very old but a tiny carving on a wall.

I furrowed my brows in confusion at that.

"Why do you think so?"

"This is right behind the main idol that we are worshipping now. And carefully observe this, the parts of this carving are faded due to time, so I believe this existed even before the huge goddess idol was placed here", he explained.

This one seemed too small compared to the large idol of goddess that we all worship now.

But his words seemed true as I carefully pondered over his words.

This carving appears atleast thousands of years old. While the idol was few hundred years old.

Yes, people will modify the ancient places some times,  as per their convenience.

The small carving which was originally worshipped before thousands of years was now replaced by the idol some years ago.

One can clearly distinguish their time lines just by looking at the materials.

I inhaled deeply, looking at the carving of goddess.

"So, as this structure is merely noticed by anyone; you feel like there must be something here?", I asked curiously.

"That's right", Adi said enthusiastically.

"Hmm", I muttered taking clear look at the structure.

I let my hands to roam freely on it, feeling the roughness of the rock.

As my hand touched the base of the carving on the floor, where there was a rectangular space left infront of it, the ground slid open a little suddenly, as I jerked my hand back.

Adi slid his hand In the space, lifting up a  heavy metallic chest from it, as the ground closed on its own.

"Now, what is this?", I wondered taking it from his hands trying to open the lock.

"We can break open the lock", I suggested.

"Seeing the complex design of the lock, it's impossible to break the box or the lock without a key", he said.

A key? Now where to find it?

I pondered over it, trying to think of any other ways to open the lock.

Something stuck my mind suddenly.

"I think I know where this key can be  found!",  I exclaimed.

             ☆☆☆☆♡☆☆☆☆