Back to the Temple

"It's been almost a week since that temple incident," said Maya as she sat down on the bean bag with a cup of green tea in her hands. 

They all had gathered at Ray's house as his parents were out of town.

"I hope that old man doesn't remember anything about that night," said Zarna and took a bite of the sandwich. Advika sipped her coffee and leaned on the pillow. "We have to be careful," she said.

"We'll go with full planning this time," said Ray playing with a basketball. 

"Getting out at night, I mean, sneaking out of the house at night is a task," said Advika and took some chips from the glass bowls. Ray took a handful of chips and stuffed it into his mouth. "That's the reason you don't have a girlfriend," commented Maya and sipped her green tea.

"As if you have a dozen of boyfriends," said Ray with his mouth full of chips. 

"Okay, guys," interrupted Tej. "Let's go tomorrow night. If everybody's okay with it."

"Cool!" said Maya. "I'm in," added Zarna. "Always ready," said Ray. "Ya, no problem," said Advika.

"So, the first thing we do is find out the source of that music," said Maya. "We should," said Tej. "Yes," added Zarna. "Maybe it will lead us to something important."

                                                                   ~~~~~~~

"Finally," said Daksh hiding behind the bushes as he saw a black car pull over. 

"Wait," said Maya. "The meter shows some negative energy around." 

"Should we go ahead or not?" questioned Ray. "Let's wait for a while," suggested Maya glancing at the meter.

Advika rubbed her palms and peeped out of the window. "I don't see anyone here," she said. "What if somebody is hiding behind those bushes?" wondered Zarna pointing at the bushes on both sides of the road.

"Okay," said Maya. "All good now."

Tej stepped out of the car and put his mask on. "Feels like robbery," said Ray as he pulled up his mask and stepped out of the car. The girls followed suit.

They carefully headed towards the temple; looking around them, careful not to be seen.

"Wait," said Ray. "How did this lock open so easily?" he wondered as he pulled out the hairpin from the lock. "It's good, right? Now let's get in," said Maya. "Something's not right," whispered Advika. 

Tej stepped inside; the others followed. 

They headed towards the wall where they had found the symbol. Advika kept her hand on the Earth symbol, Tej on Fire, Zarna on Water, Maya on Air, and Ray on the Sky symbol.

Daksh cautiously closed the main gates of the temple behind him. "Lock the gate," he said to the old man and headed towards the temple.

The five friends heard a soft music play. "Advika," said Tej and motioned her to go ahead. Advika closed her eyes and focussed on her breathe; entering the state of thoughtlessness. All she could hear was the sound of soft music. She took a step ahead towards the womb chamber of the temple and paused for a brief moment. She could feel the positive energy coming from within the chamber. The others followed her, unaware of the fact that somebody else was following them too.

It was dark in the womb chamber. Everyone except Advika removed their cellphones and switched on the flashlight. Tej stood close to Advika. "Ouch!" she almost screamed as she lost her balance. Tej caught her hand in time. 

"Woooo!" said Ray. "A secret underground tunnel," he said as they looked at the sliding ground below them. "Hold this," said Tej as he gave his phone to Maya motioning her to hold it above him so that he could see clearly. "How do we go down? I see no stairs and unfortunately, we aren't carrying any rope," said Maya.

"That's because it works on the Master's command, and that's me," whispered Daksh. "But it never reveals itself, how and why did it do that?" he wondered.

"Let's just jump, can't be that deep, is it?" wondered Zarna and sat on her knees, peeping down the underground tunnel-like opening they had just found. "That's crazy," said Maya. "Tej, I'll jump and see, or you go, you're taller than me," said Ray adjusting his headband. "I'll go," said Tej and sat at the opening with his legs hanging down. "Careful," said Advika, breathing heavily. 

Should I let them enter the room or no? Daksh thought. Let them go, maybe they'll get what I'm looking for.

"Make all the unseen seen," whispered Daksh and closed his eyes.

The stairs began to appear one by one. The five moved stepped back at once. "Why do I feel like... somebody wants us to go in there," whispered Advika. 

"Intelligent girl," mouthed Daksh. 

"Let's just go down and see, we've come so far," said Maya and began descending the stairs. Tej followed. Ray thought for a brief moment and then followed his friends. Zarna held Advika's hand and pulled her downstairs. 

The stairs led to a small room which looked more like a prison cell. It had some broken mud utensils, a few matchsticks lay hither-tither; oil spilt on the floor. It had the smell of petrichor; the air damp and cold.

"The magical bowl," said Advika. "How could I forget," she said.

Maya held her phone above the bowl kept on the stone table. "Is this normal water?" quizzed Zarna. "No, don't touch it," said Advika as she held Zarna's hand. "What did you forget?" asked Maya and looked at Advika. 

"I had read about this bowl in the book The Legends of the Elements," she said and took a step closer to the bowl. "The other day we went to the library."

"And?" said Maya.

"No!" Ray almost screamed. They followed his gaze and found the sliding door to be closed. "Somebody closed that lid, the door," Ray panicked. 

Daksh smirked as he sat on the sliding door. "Poor guys," he said and closed his eyes. "Make the seen unseen," he whispered.

"No!" screamed Zarna as the stairs began to disappear one by one. 

"Don't panic, don't panic," said Advika more to herself than to the others. "Advika," said Tej. "Got any idea of getting out? How can the bowl help?"

"The bowl," said Advika and sped towards the stone table. "I had read... this helps... to get answers..." she stammered; her body shivering with fear and anxiety. 

"Advika," said Tej and held her hands. "Relax, calm down, breath."

"May the air you breath vanish, may the consciousness you hold vane into oblivion," said Daksh closing his eyes as he brought his lips close to the sliding door.

"This bowl can help us get out of here, it can show us the way," said Advika. Maya coughed; her hand on her chest. "The air," mouthed Advika. "Somebody's playing with-" Advika stopped mid-sentence and coughed.

Ray held his throat breathing heavily. Zarna dropped down on her knees gasping for air. "Maya," said Tej panting. "You... can... influence the air, do something," he said. 

It felt like someone was choking them to death. The air inside the room ceased to exist. The flashlights from the phone were the only source of light in the room. 

Advika kept her hands on the stone table, leaning on it, tears slid from her eyes and fell into the bowl. A ripple of cold energy floated through her head and made her shiver. The water in the bowl began to move. "The... bowl..." she managed to say. Zarna, Ray, and Tej dropped on their knees, coughing loudly. "Maya... the bowl... words," said Advika and extended her arm. Maya held her hand and stood near the bowl. 

The tinge of golden and silver colour appeared in the bowl; the water began to move in a circular motion. Letters began to dance in the water; Advika dropped on her knees. "Maya," she said panting. "You can bring back... the... air," she said and lay unconscious.

Daksh pressed his ears against the sliding door on the ground.

Maya blinked her eyes, staring at the bowl, trying to make sense of the words floating on the water. 

She spread her arms and stood near the stone table for a brief moment. 

"May the done be undone, past be present, and actions reversed," read Maya and fell on the ground, unconscious. 

"No!" screamed Daksh and push opened the door.