The air in the passage beyond the vision-cave felt different – older, perhaps, and carrying a faint, almost metallic tang beneath the smell of damp earth. Kunal moved forward cautiously, flashlight beam cutting through the absolute darkness. Chanakya's words resonated in his mind, a heavy weight of inherited history and persistent enemies: They adapt. They endure. They fear you. The knowledge was clarifying but terrifying. He wasn't just solving a puzzle; he was retracing the steps of a centuries-long war.
The passage continued downward for some time before leveling out and branching. Instinct, that same सहजा वृत्ति (sahajā vṛtṛtṇ) [natural inclination] that had guided him before, pulled him towards the left fork. This tunnel seemed slightly more finished, the stonework more regular. He followed it, sweeping his light across walls covered in more of the baffling, intricate script and geometric diagrams. He photographed key sections, knowing Ananya would be desperate to analyze them.
After perhaps twenty minutes of careful progress, the tunnel opened into a series of interconnected small chambers, like the spokes of a wheel around a central, now-collapsed hub. Most were empty, filled with dust and debris, but one contained shelves carved directly into the rock, holding decayed remnants of what might have been scroll cases or containers made of wood or leather, long since turned to dust and fragments. Another chamber had a floor mosaic depicting a complex star map, the patterns strangely familiar yet unplaceable. He recognized constellations, but they seemed subtly shifted, depicted from a perspective not quite Earth's, or perhaps from a different epoch. He photographed this too, a shiver tracing its way up his spine. What knowledge was stored here?
In the final chamber along this spoke, he found something else. Etched onto the far wall was a massive, incredibly detailed version of the आरम्भः (ārambhaṃ) [beginning/origin] symbol. And set within its complex, interlocking lines were several depressions, identical in shape and size to the one on the disc he'd found earlier, the one that fit the obsidian fragment. He approached, examining it closely. It wasn't just a symbol; it felt like a map, a schematic, or… a control panel. He tried the obsidian fragment in one of the depressions on this wall map.
This time, something did happen. Not a dramatic activation, but a low, almost sub-sonic hum emanated from the stone itself, and the obsidian fragment pulsed with a faint warmth in his hand. Lines within the आरम्भः (Ārambhaṃ) map on the wall glowed faintly with a cool, blue light for a brief second, tracing a path from the symbol representing Taxila towards another major node far to the southeast – Patliputra. Then the glow faded, the hum subsided.
It was confirmation. A map, activated by the key. And it pointed unequivocally towards the Mauryan capital, reinforcing Ananya's findings. But it also hinted that the obsidian fragment was functional, just perhaps not with the disc alone, or maybe needing a specific location or energy level.
He now had confirmation and a direction, but he still needed to get out. Returning the way he came seemed impossible; the entrance was sealed high above. Exploring the other passages branching off the hub felt too risky without knowing where they led. He scanned the chamber with the आरम्भः (Ārambha) map again. Was there a hidden exit mechanism here?
He examined the wall map, pressing gently near the glowing 'Patliputra' node. Nothing. He tried pressing the obsidian key into other depressions. Still nothing. Frustration mounted. Was he missing something obvious? He thought back to the trance, the instinctual push. Maybe it wasn't about force, but resonance? He held the obsidian fragment loosely and focused his intent, recalling Chanakya's words, Ashoka's sorrow, Kunala's determination, trying to align himself with the purpose of this place. He brought the fragment near the 'Taxila' node on the map again.
The low hum returned, slightly stronger this time. He felt a faint vibration through the floor. On the opposite side of the chamber, a section of the seemingly solid stone wall ground inwards soundlessly, revealing a dark opening – another passage, but this one felt different, less ancient, perhaps an escape route. Freedom. Relief washed over him, so potent it almost buckled his knees. "धन्यवादः," he whispered to the silent chamber, unsure who he was thanking. (Thank you.)
He didn't linger. Checking his flashlight, Kunal slipped through the opening. It led to a narrow, ascending staircase carved into the rock. After a long climb that left him breathless, he emerged cautiously through a cleverly hidden opening disguised as a natural rock fissure, finding himself on the slopes of the hills several hundred meters away from the main monastery ruins, hidden from the likely vantage point of the watcher he'd spotted earlier. He quickly camouflaged the opening with loose rocks and brush as best he could, then oriented himself and began the long, careful trek back towards the town, avoiding main paths, constantly scanning his surroundings.
It was late afternoon by the time he reached the relative safety of his second, even more anonymous guesthouse room. He locked the door, collapsed onto the charpoy bed, and immediately initiated a secure call.
"Kunal! सब ठीक है? (Is everything okay?)" Ananya's voice was tight with anxiety.
"Safe. I'm out," Kunal reported, his voice hoarse with fatigue and residual adrenaline. He quickly recounted finding the hidden chambers, the strange script, the star map, the inert disc but the active wall map showing the path to Patliputra, finding the hidden exit activated by the obsidian key, and the nerve-wracking hike back. He omitted the memory flashes for now, focusing on the tangible findings and the exit.
"Incredible!" Ananya breathed. "An active map… activated by the fragment! It confirms the Patliputra link. Kunal, the caves I found there… they are mentioned in connection with गुप्तविद्या (Guptavidyā - secret knowledge) and certain Mauryan-era ascetic groups that sometimes clashed with mainstream Buddhism. Some texts even hint they were guardians of… pre-Mauryan knowledge sources."
"And the watchers?" Abhishek cut in, his voice practical. "Any sign of them when you got out?"
"No direct sign," Kunal admitted. "But I didn't stick around to check. I felt watched the whole way back. Assume they know I disappeared underground and eventually resurfaced. They know I found something."
"Which means they'll be expecting you to act on it," Abhishek concluded grimly. "Patliputra is the logical next step for you, and therefore for them too. You need to get there, but you need to be a ghost."
"Working on it," Kunal said. "How's everything on your end?"
"Slow," Abhishek reported. "Vetting is tricky. But found two more potential profiles – a theoretical physicist undergrad publishing online under a pseudonym, and a young historian specializing in Mauryan logistics who seems disillusioned with academia. Sent details to Ananya for cross-referencing. Oh, and Ananya flagged unusual network traffic spikes originating from servers near Patna… that's close to Patliputra, right? Could be nothing, could be our friends setting up."
"Patna…" Kunal felt a chill. "Okay. I need to get there. Train seems too public now. A bus? Flight?"
"Flight from Islamabad might be fastest, but security checks are heavy," Abhishek mused. "Maybe a long-distance bus, less formal checks, easier to blend in if we book it right? Let me look into options, book something discreet under a different name."
"Do it," Kunal agreed. "Book it for tomorrow night if possible. I'll lay low here until then."
The next day was spent finalizing plans and preparing. Ananya sent detailed files on the Patliputra cave complex and potential historical context. Abhishek confirmed bus tickets booked under a common alias, routing through several states to make tracking harder. Kunal rested, studied the photos of the script and the आरम्भम् (Ārambham) map, trying to absorb Chanakya's warnings, and practiced the mantra, seeking inner stillness.
As evening approached, he shouldered his backpack, the obsidian fragment feeling like both a key and a target in his pocket. He left the guesthouse, melting into the crowded streets heading towards the dusty bus stand. The journey south-east towards the ancient heart of the Mauryan empire, towards the city where Kunala's fate was sealed, had begun. Every stranger's glance felt like scrutiny, every announcement over the loudspeakers like a potential warning. "कहीं कोई पीछा तो नहीं कर रहा?" (Is someone following?) The question echoed silently as he boarded the overnight bus, finding a seat by the window, watching the lights of the northern town recede into the growing darkness. Patliputra awaited.
To be continued…