The doorway that emerged from beneath the statue was ancient, its edges worn and weathered by centuries of neglect. The stone trembled as if responding to the touch of time itself, and the air grew thick with an energy that seemed almost tangible. Vihan stood frozen, staring at the entrance that had appeared in front of him. This wasn’t just a physical threshold; it felt like a crossing into something far beyond the world he had known.

  Asha and Zara stood behind him, their expressions grim yet filled with anticipation. The air was heavy with the weight of the moment, as if the very earth was holding its breath.

  “This is it,” Zara whispered, her voice barely audible. “The next step.”

  Vihan swallowed, forcing himself to step forward. His hand brushed against the cool stone of the archway, and he could feel a subtle vibration ripple through his fingertips. The doorway beckoned, an invitation to the unknown. A part of him wanted to hesitate, to turn back, but he knew that there was no other choice. They had come too far to retreat now.

  Asha’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Be careful. The path ahead is not just a physical one. It’s a journey through the mind and spirit. The door is a test. It will only open for those who understand its meaning.”

  Vihan turned to her, his brow furrowed. “A test? What kind of test?”

  Asha gave him a cryptic smile. “One you’ll have to face yourself.”

  The doorway was narrow, just wide enough for them to pass through one by one. Zara moved first, her movements deliberate and confident. She disappeared into the darkness beyond the threshold, and Vihan followed closely behind. The weight of the atmosphere shifted as he crossed the threshold — the air seemed heavier, more oppressive, as if the world beyond had its own rules.

  The path within the temple was not like anything Vihan had expected. It wasn’t a simple corridor or tunnel; it was an intricate labyrinth of twisting passageways, hidden alcoves, and winding staircases that seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkness. The walls were covered in cryptic symbols and faded frescoes, depicting scenes of cosmic battles, celestial beings, and mysterious forces beyond human comprehension. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the silence became. The only sounds were their footsteps echoing off the cold stone, and the occasional rustle of wind sweeping through unseen cracks in the walls.

  They walked in silence, the tension between them growing. Vihan’s mind was racing with questions. What kind of test did Asha mean? What was it that they were supposed to understand about this place? Every corner they turned seemed to lead deeper into the unknown.

  After what felt like hours, they reached a small chamber. The walls were adorned with shimmering, iridescent carvings that seemed to come alive with the dim light of their flashlights. At the center of the room stood an enormous stone pedestal, upon which rested a single object: an ancient book bound in dark leather, its pages yellowed with age. The book seemed to hum with a faint energy, as if it contained the secrets of the universe within its pages.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “This is it,” Asha said, her voice filled with reverence. “The Last Copy of the Bhagavad Gita.”

  Vihan approached the pedestal, his fingers trembling slightly. It was hard to explain, but the book felt important — more important than anything he had ever encountered. This wasn’t just a book; it was a relic of a time long past, holding knowledge that could change everything.

  He reached out to take it, but as soon as his fingers brushed the cover, the ground beneath them trembled once more, and a low, ominous hum filled the air. The walls of the chamber seemed to close in on them, and the temperature dropped sharply. Vihan jerked his hand back, his heart racing. Asha stepped forward, her expression unchanged.

  “The test has begun,” she said quietly.

  Suddenly, the carvings on the walls began to glow, their intricate patterns shifting and rearranging themselves in a mesmerizing dance. The symbols seemed to come to life, swirling around them in a dizzying spiral, and Vihan felt an overwhelming pressure build up in his chest. The very air seemed to grow heavier, as if they were being pulled into something vast and incomprehensible.

  “The test is not about physical strength,” Asha continued, her voice calm amidst the chaos. “It’s a test of understanding — of how well you can let go of the material world and embrace the higher truths. The path of Kalki is not one of control; it’s one of surrender.”

  Vihan blinked, trying to make sense of her words. Surrender? He was a hacker, a man of logic and reason. Letting go, surrendering control — these were not things he understood. Everything in his life had been about control, about manipulating systems, about bending reality to his will. But this? This was different.

  As the symbols on the walls shifted and expanded, the room seemed to warp and distort. The stone beneath Vihan’s feet felt as if it was moving, rising and falling like the surface of a stormy ocean. He closed his eyes, trying to center himself, but the sensations only grew more intense. His heartbeat quickened, and a voice, soft but insistent, began to echo in his mind:

  Let go, Vihan.

  The voice was not Asha’s. It was something deeper, more ancient. The very walls seemed to be speaking to him, urging him to release the grip he had on the world around him. Let go of your need for answers, the voice continued. Let go of your fear. Let go of your doubt.

  Vihan’s breathing became shallow as the pressure around him intensified. His mind screamed for control, for the clarity he had always relied on. But something inside him stirred — a faint spark of realization.

  For the first time, he allowed himself to stop thinking, to stop trying to force understanding. He simply was — standing in the middle of the chamber, surrounded by the swirling patterns of light and shadow, and the voice that seemed to come from the very core of existence.

  The world around him began to still. The swirling patterns on the walls slowed, the hum in the air softened, and the temperature returned to normal. Vihan opened his eyes.

  Asha stood before him, her gaze steady and unshaken. “You’ve passed,” she said quietly.

  Vihan looked around, still disoriented. “I… I don’t understand.”

  “The test was not meant to be understood by your mind alone,” Asha explained. “It was meant to be felt, experienced. You had to surrender to the process, to the energy of this place. Only then could you access the next step.”

  Zara stepped forward, her expression unreadable. “You’ve done it. Now we have the Last Copy of the Bhagavad Gita. But the journey is far from over.”

  Vihan glanced at the ancient tome resting on the pedestal, its cover still humming with faint energy. He felt the weight of it, but this time, it didn’t seem like a burden. It was a key to something much greater — something that could either save the world or destroy it.

  With a deep breath, he reached for the book once more.

  The path ahead was uncertain, but he had crossed the first threshold. And whatever lay beyond, he knew one thing for certain: they were no longer just searching for Kalki.

  They were becoming part of the prophecy.