The hidden 🗺️ map
Nakshatra ka dil tez tez dhadak raha tha. Purane attic me chhupaye hue box ko haath me uthate hi, ek ajeeb si excitement aur darr ka mixture uske andar ghoom raha tha. Dust aur purani memories ke beech, box ke upar intricate carvings the—jaise koi secret message dene ki koshish kar rahe ho. Nakshatra ne dheere se lid khola, aur ek ancient map aur ek folded note andar dekha.
Note par, purani handwriting me kuch shabd likhe the:
"Jo raasta sirf himmat aur dimaag se dikhe, wahi khazana tumhara hoga."
Nakshatra ke dimaag me turant questions ghoomne lage: Kaunsa khazana? Kya ye bas dadi ki kahaniyon ka hissa hai ya kuch aur? Map me jungle, river, aur ek purana temple mark tha. Aur uske corner me ek faint warning likha tha:
"Time is short, but courage may shorten the long way."
Nakshatra ne apna backpack uthaya—water bottle, compass, notebook, aur flashlight ke saath. Adventure ke liye ready ho gayi. Par jaise hi usne apne ghar se bahar kadam rakha, ek chill hawa ka jhatka aaya, jaise jungle khud use welcome kar raha ho.
Jungle me ghuste hi teen raaste uske samne the:
Path A: River ke paas ek narrow bridge. Purani kahani ke hisaab se risky hai, lekin fastest route lag raha tha.
Path B: Dense forest me chhupa hua trail. Dangerous animals aur obstacles ka risk, lekin shayad hidden clues mile.
Path C: Hill ke upar winding path. Safe lag raha hai, lekin zyada time lagega.
Nakshatra thodi der ruk kar sochne lagi. Note ke words yaad aaye: "courage may shorten the long way." Courage ka matlab kya tha? Risk lena ya patience rakhna?
Jaise hi Nakshatra decide kar rahi thi, ek ajeeb awaaz aayi. Pehle halki si, phir dheere dheere louder. Ye awaaz jungle ke andar se aa rahi thi, par Nakshatra ko pata nahi tha ki ye kisi janwar ki hai ya kuch aur. Heartbeat tez ho gayi, par curiosity aur excitement ne darr ko peeche dhakel diya.
Nakshatra ne finally Path B choose kiya—dense forest ka trail. Har kadam par uske feet ke neeche patte crunch kar rahe the, aur shadows ka khel uske imagination ko aur zyada trigger kar raha tha. Usne flashlight on kiya aur har tree ke peeche nazar daali—aur tabhi uski nazar ek glimmering symbol par gayi, jo map me nahi tha.
Symbol ek strange triangle jaisa tha, aur uske beech ek chhota lock ka design tha. Nakshatra ne socha: "Kya ye clue treasure ka hissa hai ya trap?" Dimaag me alertness aur adrenaline dono chal rahe the. Nakshatra ne notebook nikali aur symbol sketch karna shuru kiya, takki agar zarurat pade to ye future me help kare.
Aur phir, ek sudden rustling sound! Nakshatra ne turant piche dekha, par kuch nahi tha—sirf shadow aur hawa ka khel. Par uske instincts ne bola, "Kuch hai, aur wo humesha safe nahi hai."
Nakshatra aage badhti gayi, aur uske aankhon ke saamne ek ancient stone pedestal aaya, jisme ek aur note embedded tha. Note me likha tha
"Only the one who solves the riddle may proceed."
Nakshatra ke haath kaanp rahe the. Ye riddle kaun si hogi? Aur kya ye pehla test tha treasure tak pahunchne ka?
Nakshatra ne deep breath li, apni courage ko gather kiya, aur pedastal ke note ko dhyan se padhna shuru kiya…