The Guardian of the Stone

The hidden Threat

Here, Maya and Aakash were busy having snacks and talking with each other. Aarav called Aakash. Aakash said to Maya, " Uh.. Maya, this one is important, sorry." Maya said," Ya Ya, please." Aarav said, "I have heard that our free bird has come to your place." Aakash said, "Uh... What? Which free bird?" Aarav said, "Maya Sharma." Aakash said, "Are you speaking about Maya, who is a law student." Aarav was confused, "what law student? I am talking about the lady who is an archeologist and had planned to come to your village,Shivapuri." Aakash said, " Oh... that lady. No one has come yet to inquire, and my man is keeping an eye on new people arriving." Aarav said, "Good. Keep a sharp eye." Maya reached her cottage, drank a small bottle of water, and left to explore the village, particularly the old temple she had heard about. As she approached the temple, she noticed a small shop about 500 meters away. She clicked pictures of the temple and stepped onto its passage. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed from pleasant to eerie. The old lady from the shop appeared and rushed to her aid. "You shouldn't be here alone," the old lady said with concern in her voice, guiding Maya back to the shop. "What happened?" Maya asked, confused and a bit scared. "This temple has a history," the old lady replied. "Many strange things happen here. It's not safe for visitors after dusk. Come, sit down, and have some tea." Maya hesitated but followed the lady to the shop. "Thank you for helping me. Can you tell me more about this place?" The old lady nodded. "There's much to tell, but first, let's make sure you're alright. These stories are best told with a clear mind and a strong heart." The old lady settled Maya into a chair and handed her steaming cup of tea. "I'm old, and I've been here for a long time," she began, her voice low and steady. "I know more about this village and the temple than most people are willing to share." Maya leaned forward, intrigued. "What do you mean?" The  temple is not safe anymore," the old lady continued. "It has been closed for 20 years. Aghoris now stay near the temple, practicing their rituals. Their presence has maligned the temple." Maya's eyes widened. "Aghoris? But why would they come here?" The old lady sighed. "The temple was once a place of peace and worship, but ever since it was abandoned, the Aghoris took over. They are drawn to such places, and their rituals have brought a darkness here."Is there anything that can be done?" Maya asked, her concern growing. The old lady shook her head. "It's complicated, child. Many have tried to reclaim the temple, but the Aghoris are powerful, and their practices have been rooted deeply. For now, it's best to stay away and let the village elders handle it." Maya nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of the old lady's words. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be careful."Good," the old lady said softly. "Now, finish your tea and rest. The village has many stories, but you must be cautious of which ones you choose to explore."
Maya thanked the old lady and left the shop, returning to her cottage. Once inside, she took out the details and files she had collected from the police station. As she read through the documents, exhaustion overtook her, and she dozed off. In her dream, she found herself inside the temple. The interior was dark and eerie, with shadows dancing on the walls. She could see the decayed condition of the once-grand structure, with cracks in the walls and vines creeping through the stones. Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed through the temple. "We have been waiting for you," the voice said, sending shivers down her spine. Maya turned, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling. "We are the guardians of this place," the voice responded, a mysterious, almost ethereal tone to it. "You have come seeking answers." "Why me?" Maya questioned, feeling a strange mix of fear and curiosity. "You are the chosen one," the voice replied. "Your arrival was foretold. You hold the key to freeing this temple from its curse." Maya's heart raced. "What must I do?"First, you must learn the truth," the voice said. "Seek out the old texts hidden within the temple grounds. They will guide you." Before Maya could ask more, the dream began to fade. The voice whispered one last message. "Beware the Aghoris. They will not let go easily." Maya jolted awake, drenched in sweat. The dream felt so real, and the words echoed in her mind. Determined, she knew she had to uncover the secrets of the temple and fulfill whatever role she was destined to play. She drank water and slept again. The next morning, she woke up to find out Aakash was standing out of her cottage's passage and finding an address. She was in stress because of the conversation she had with the old lady and the dream she had seen. Aakash saw her standing aside and zoning out. He called her, " Hey, Maya." He came to her jogging. Maya replied, " Hey! What a nice surprise. What work has brought you here?" Aakash said, " Nothing, just patrolling." Maya said," Oh. Okay." Suddenly, Aakash got a call, and he asked Maya to excuse him. He went a little far to speak with Aarav. Aarav said, " Hello, Mr. FREE BIRD lover." Aakash asked, " Hello, what is that?" Aarav yelled, " I had asked you if my free bird is here, or have you seen her, and I even asked you to keep a sharp eye." Aakash said," I know that, and I have kept an eye on every new person." Aarav said," Then why didn't you tell me that you are with my free bird." Aakash gets little irritated, " Hey, first of all, stop calling free bird free bird. Who is she, and what are you speaking about?" Aarav said, " The lady you are roaming around like a puppy for the past 2 days is none other than Mt free bird, Miss. Maya Sharma." Aakash said," Huh... I don't know. You didn't send me picfure to identify." Aarav said, " Fine. Now keep an eye on her and inform me, anyways I'm coming to Shivapuri." Aakash kept the call. Here, Maya received a call from her colleague. Maya's phone rang, and she saw it was Mr. Raj. She answered quickly, "Hello, Mr. Raj."Are you safe and alone?" Raj asked urgently. Maya glanced at Aakash before responding, "I'm safe, but I'm not alone. An inspector is with me." Raj's voice grew tense. "Stay away from him, Maya." Maya's heart raced. "Why, Mr. Raj? What happened?" Someone from our office is reporting about you and your work to an outsider," Raj explained. "We believe it might be linked to the inspector you're with. He's not who he seems." Maya's grip tightened on her phone. "Understood. I'll be careful." Raj continued, "Listen, Maya, don't trust anyone there, especially not him. We need you to stay safe and keep a low profile until we figure out who’s behind this." Maya nodded, even though Raj couldn't see her. "Got it. Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Raj. I'll call you if anything happens."Good. Take care, Maya," Raj said before ending the call. Maya turned to Aakash, masking her unease. "That was my friend. I'm just checking in." Aakash smiled, but his eyes were probing. "Everything alright?" Maya nodded, keeping her tone light. "Yes, just some project stuff."Shall we continue?" Aakash nodded, and they started talking. Maya's mind raced as she tried to process the new information while maintaining her composure. She knew she had to be more careful now, keeping a closer eye on Aakash and anyone else she encountered.Aakash turned to Maya with a friendly smile. "So, Maya, would you be interested in going out for a drink with me? There's a nice place in the village we could check out." Maya was about to agree, but then she thought, "Who knows what he might mix in my drink to get the truth out of me? I guess he has a heads-up about who I am." Aakash waved his hand in front of her face. "Maya, are you there? Ready to go?" Maya snapped back to attention and smiled wittily. "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking. A drink sounds great, but I'm really more of a coffee person. How about we find a nice place instead? I could use a good cup of coffee." Aakash chuckled, though she could see a flicker of frustration in his eyes. "Sure, there is a place and  works for me. Let's go." As they walked, Maya kept the conversation light and casual, all the while remaining cautious of Aakash's intentions. She knew she had to stay sharp and avoid giving away too much.

#Stay Tuned....