Ishar made eye contact with Naren, who had already kept his hand on his weapon in case of an attack.
However, it was more confusing when Adinath handed the mashaal to Venkatesh, bent down on one knee, and parted some of the vines to a side. Behind them was a dark cave, the light bouncing off its deep and long path. It seemed as though Mother Earth had created a thing of ancient mysteries but simply forgot about it in the end.
That's when it hit Ishar. Darkness all around. A lonely cave. A spot in the middle of the forest. It was the perfect place for an ambush. Nobody would even know what happened to them.
Ishar stayed alert, his heart beating in his chest. His hand automatically reached for the gun in his pocket.
Venkatesh grinned and said, "You want your answers? They are all here. I'll explain everything to you on the way inside."
Ishar walked behind Venkatesh, into the dark cave. However, the light bouncing off the minerals, made it glimmer as bright as a star. As they scooted across the corridor, Adinath began his story.
"What I am about to tell you, is an absolute secret.
Don't think of it as a myth, or a legend, or some childish fairytale…it is completely true, and has occurred in the very forest you are standing on.
This land hosts something that happened thousands of years ago, the first sighting happening millenia ago, during the prestigious Vedic Age.
Our ancestors were great scholars and warriors, who had discovered the vast realms of science and modernity in India, while the other kingdoms were barely learning to walk. In this golden age of prosperity, we devised a beautiful technological advancement- a satellite, capable of reaching the deep lengths of interstellar space.
The scriptures describe it as such a wonderful moment of wisdom!
It was known among the rishis, the scientists, the astronomers as the 'Vihayas Viman'. It was said to be made out of pure gold, and emerald buttons, along with all the modern scientific instruments, maybe even better ones.
It was even encoded, pretty much like the programmers today, but completely in Devanagari scripts. And so, it was launched into the heavens, sent to curiously venture throughout space with messages of peace and goodwill."
Adinath paused. Everyone held their breaths.
They had come to a diversion in the caves.
He inspected something on the walls, which looked like a logo of some kind, and then took a right turn.
Ishar, unable to bear the cliffhanger, said "What happened next?"