beyond the Dreams :the past is not what it seems

chapter 38 : a night of discovery

Veeranshu's POV:

I sipped my scotch, my eyes locked onto Dev's, as he revealed the shocking discovery. "You know what I found, Veeranshu? Professor Jameson and Mr. Akhilesh Sengupta were working together on finding that ancient temple secretly."

My mind raced, connecting the dots. "So, they knew each other," I stated calmly, my voice betraying no emotion.

Dev's eyes gleamed with excitement. "That's not all. I found a picture in Professor Jameson's study." He pulled out his phone, and his fingers swiped across the screen. "Look at this."

I took the phone, my eyes widening as I saw the image. Professor Jameson and Mr. Sengupta stood side by side, their faces beaming with friendship. The same photo we saw in Mahira's trunk, clicked by Professor Jameson himself.

"This changes everything," I muttered, my mind racing with the implications.

Dev's voice was low and calculating. "They were working on the same expedition, Veeranshu. The same temple we're searching for. They must have been close to finding it."

I handed the phone back to Dev, my eyes locked onto his. "We need to find out what they discovered. Every detail counts."

Dev's words hung in the air like a challenge. "They may have already found it, Veeranshu."

My mind raced as I reached into my pocket and retrieved the gemstone. "You mean this?" I asked, holding it up.

Dev's eyes widened as he took the gemstone from me. "This is it! The gem used in the ancient temple mechanism. I'm an architect myself, I couldn't be wrong."

As Dev examined the gemstone, I connected the dots. "So, Dr. Sengupta and Professor Jameson maybe found the temple, but it vanished, transporting  itself to another place, another time zone."

Dev's eyes locked onto mine, a spark of understanding igniting. "That's why Professor Jameson was declared crazy. He thought that Mr. Sengupta, like everyone else, kept his distance, but maybe, just maybe, Mr. Sengupta was transported with the temple to another era."

The room seemed to spin as the implications sunk in. I felt like I was unraveling a thread that had been hidden for centuries.

Dev's words sparked a chain reaction of thoughts in my mind. "If the gem is here, it means the temple is also stuck in this era." I paused, my eyes locked onto Dev's. "But how do we find it? It could be anywhere in the world."

Dev's expression turned intense. "That's the million-dollar question, Veeranshu. We need to think like Professor Jameson and Dr. Sengupta. They must have left behind a trail, a clue, something."

Dev's eyes sparkled with a sudden realization. "The temple could be near us, Veeranshu. We have Mahira, after all."

I furrowed my brow, confused. "What do you mean? How does Mahii's presence lead us to the temple?"

Dev's gaze intensified. "You're her protective one, Veeranshu. But did you forget the legacy you left her? Do you remember the legacy?"

My mind raced as I tried to recall. And then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck me.

Dev's words struck a chord deep within me. "The legacy... I remember now. I possessed the control over the ancient temple, but I gave it to Mahira.

Memories flooded my mind as I recalled the day I met Mahira. It was as if a veil had lifted, revealing a truth I had forgotten. "I remember now, Dev. I gave the control to Mahira because... because I had to. I had no choice."

Dev's eyes narrowed, curiosity etched on his face. "What do you mean? Why did you have to give it to her?"

I shook my head, the memories still hazy. "I don't know, Dev. But I remember feeling an inexplicable connection to her. Like our souls were bound together. And I knew, in that moment, that I had to entrust her with the legacy."

Dev's expression turned thoughtful. "That's what your letter said, Veeranshu. The one in the mysterious box. You wrote that you had to pass on the control, that it was the only way to protect the temple and the world."

I nodded, the pieces falling into place. "I remember now. I wrote that letter, but I didn't know why. It was like my subconscious knew something I didn't."

Dev's eyes locked onto mine. "We need to find out what happened, Veeranshu. We need to uncover the truth about our past, about the temple, and about our connection to Mahira."

The night wore on, Dev and I huddled in the study, surrounded by ancient texts and cryptic clues. Our banter flew back and forth like a tennis match, each of us trying to outdo the other in wit and insight.

"I'm telling you, Dev, it's a mystical connection!" I exclaimed, waving my hand dramatically.

Dev raised an eyebrow. "Mystical? You mean like a Bollywood movie?"

I chuckled. "Hey, don't knock it till you try it, Dev!"

He snorted. "I'll stick to facts, thanks."

I grinned. "Facts? You're the one who's been spouting theories like a conspiracy theorist!"

Dev laughed. "Hey, someone's got to keep you grounded in reality!"

As we bantered, our minds raced with possibilities. We pored over ancient texts, searching for any mention of the temple or our connection to Mahira.

Suddenly, Dev's eyes lit up. "Veeranshu, look at this!"

I leaned in, my heart racing. "What is it?"

He pointed to a passage in an ancient text. "It talks about a place , a place  atmosphere that transcends time and space."

My eyes widened. "That's it! That's the connection we're looking for!"

Dev grinned. "Told you it wasn't just Bollywood magic!"

I playfully rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you win this round, Dev."

As the night wore on, our banter turned into a friendly competition, each of us trying to uncover more clues, more pieces of the puzzle. And with every new discovery, our bond grew stronger, our connection to each other and to Mahira becoming clearer.

In that moment, I knew that no matter what lay ahead, Dev and I would face it together to save my mahii , as friends and allies in the quest for truth.