Chambers of Mystery

Where am I ?? Faint voice in abys echoed by unheard ears.

Huff..Huff...Huff

There was barely enough air to survive till the vision of his eye that barely held life at what he looked into the distant void.

It doesn't make sense to him , air was limited and he is sore from head to toe. Falling from such heights, for any better should be dead long ago.

Am I dead???

An unsolved question he asked in his mind expected somebody to answer and all he received was eternal silence.

How much time had passed, a question it don't matter him anymore .

He could feel his life have reached final destination, the thread of life that connected soul and body was about to severe . He felt wet presumably blood that is leaking from his body.

His entire life was flashing through his eyes. He wants to embrace death and be freed of his sufferings.Only when it seem all was over , he heard ringing sound . It sounded like bells ringing very faint but audible. 

Suddenly,he felt something thing vibrating , putting the hand that is not under piles of stones in his pouch bag . It was his smartphone. Turning on ,their was almost no network, miraculously in the screen flashed a call from Rajendra. Accepting call , voice from other side of phone came " Hello Mr. Srivastav, are on the call , please reply, where are you ? Are you Safe ? We were worried about you ??"

Srivastav replied" I am barely holding on, the oxygen is too low , I am not sure where I am probably at the doors of death " he said with lifeless chuckle, " there are fractures all over my body and I am constantly bleeding . You all don't need to worry and come for my rescue trapping yourself like me " 

Rajendra - " Hey don't joke around , hang in ther..... 

The call had been declined.

Srivastav closed his eyes and thought " Am I really going to die such pathetically, a hopeless old man" Memories began playing in his mind again came to a halt ,when it came around the memory of his first day at his training at Marcos. The speach of his senior came back to him . The word he said that day rushed back to him .

Suddenly his body start warming up and mind became clear , much more focused like in his youth . The inner patriot and survivalist was awakened. Slowly the old time vertenan began pushing and clearing off the debris above his body slowly but progressively, making some spaces , sat up and start looking for a wall or something he could crawl up , later lean on . Leaning , with the help of phone flashlight looked into his bag. Putting the mask of mini O2 cylinder , he beathe out hungrily devouring it .After stabilizing a bit , putting on basic first aid on his injury he took the torch and turn it on over the surrounding .

Now that he saw it looked like a scene from a fantasy horror movie. Light from the torch illuminate the darkness and soon he can see the place he is in. The place looked like a wide gloomy chamber , ceiling being supported by broad numerous pillar standing strong carved such presisely that could not done by workers with hand tool .

Bells with ceiling covered with webs and scattered skeleton of animal alike some of which are atleast have gone extinct for more that 8,000 -5,000 years apparently. Rotten shredded skin of snake , bigger that anaconda might be 3-4 times. He was currently himself leaning against a half broken pillar of the chamber.

Picking himself up barely with the help of his walking stick which was coincidental left in his bag pack. Supporting himself despite the burning pain all over body , he began exploring the chambers . Walking up to the pillars , studying them and taking pictures of in his phone . 

Time began passing up , flashing his torch light something shined in darkness. Coming face to face in front of the source. He was dumbfounded.

Infront lies a huge magestic gate made up of an unknown alloy with carving and figure in a dancing form resembling the Shiva ' s nathraj form . The sculpture looked almost real with gem stone carved as jewellery. His eyes were made blue emerald. Writing which look like a cross between Vedic Sanskrit ,sangham text and the text discovered from the site of Sindhu valley civilization with some not even recognisable. It got him excited. Archeologist may become jealous of luck or unlucky to stumble upon such a monlithic structure. Taking the pictures and vlog sending them on WhatsApp to Archeology survey of India site as an last post with no hope of every reaching, he was about to began to study .

Unfortunately suddenly he heard voice of snake slithering and was biten by one. Some how making some distance between it with his walking stick. He flashed on to see what attacked him . The result shocked him to his core . There was an extinct species of snake which declared to have exterminated from the surface of earth for about 40 million year ,Gigantophis. One attacked him was a small one , smaller than on anaconda. But in distant , they we're in large group coming to his direction. The hissing sound kept increasing.

Srivastav back was touching the gate ,his body initially continuous bleeding and now poison in system , the will that struggling to life was slowly fading way. Firming his heart that the end was near , he took deep breath, sat in a meditative position and start singing ' Shiv Stotram ' loudly in a best at the moment devoted voice despite everything.

At the end of Stotram , his breath became uneven, heart beating racing faster and faster.

Eyesight became blurred. Knowing that this will his last time , he had sang stotram and prayed with all heart for his aradhya, Mahadev.

Unnoticed by him , was that the eyes of nathraj began glowing.

Srivastav in his mind answered an uncharted question " So I am really going to die here isn't it . I do wonder did I lived a meaning life ? Did I do any good deed ?? It's seem like Father , Mother I am going to meet soon !" 

A weak smile formed.

Just as snakes we're about to attack, time seem to has stop somehow . Suddenly an isekai fashioned pop - up -menu popped up . A blue imaginary rectangular box appeared with a message ' You have fulfilled the criteria. You have been chosen to recieved the attention of the " Honourable One's " .You have designated to be blessed by him . Please choose the following options to confirm your decision.'

ACCEPT ✔️. DECLINE ❌. 

Time limit - 20 sec

Srivastav looked up , although his vision is blurry read it . It's seem to be a illusion to him. You know dead man imaginary fantasy in their dead bed . The countdown is going on 

7 sec

6 sec

5 sec

4 sec 

In his mind , he thought what more bizzare could be ! Should I give a try after all I have nothing to lose.

4 sec 

3 sec 

2 sec 

1 se...

ACCEPT 

Something broke like a glass.

Time seem to unpause .

Snakes began biting and some tried to swallow up the body completely only to disrupted by others. 

A bright green glow illuminated the entire chamber. When the lights died down , no snakes to be seen anymore.

Amist of all the chaos in the abys lays the body of Srivastav, eyes devoid of any life present, unmoving. 

He is dead

To be continued...

(A/N: Hello guys I hope you liked the chapter, please comment and vote below

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