Quadro Squad on mission, “Black forest solitaire hunt”. The Palaeographist Pia, physicst Mahima, mathematician Sagar, and infantry pride Major Anurag on air when Alex, the pilot, accentuated to a glinting spot down in the Berlin’s black forest.
Nodding, Pia says, “Alex this is congruent to the great archeologist, Dr. Kay’s description. “
Stepping on black forest, quadro shrieks “Let’s unearth the life of Bode.”
Glimmering moonlight paved our path, through the deep woodland of the northern black forest valley, towards the scintillating light. Scintillation chase ended at a brilliant-bright lotus flower leaving us goggle-eyed.
“Uhh! This is the BLF (bright lotus flower), the doc. mentioned”, says Pia followed by a long “Hmmmm!!!”
Excited Mahima exclaims, “Let’s begin the real perusal!”
**************
Circumscribing the lotus, they spotted a cinched-stone- door.
“Bang! Bang!”
“Hahaha! Except bashing all allowed Anurag”, mentions Sagar.
Pia maffles, “True, they are labyrinth-secured”. Probe into cave-wall disclosed this
“A STEP UNTO MOON
LEADS YOU TO OUBLIETTE
RIGTH TO MOON IS BLIND ALLEY;
TOWARDS ITS LEFT, THE SOLUTION.”
Moon-hunt finally ended at the corner of the wall where a small moon was carved. Engraved to its right were an eagle and a lit earthen-lamp to its left. Pia pushed the light. After series of rumbling, came the final click.
“Now Anurag it’s your turn” smiled Pia.
“My pleasure Ma’am”, sighs Anurag and wallop it open.
——————————————————-
Seeing the three doors quadro screamed, “Oh Ghosh! Doors behind the door”.
Buckling up her belt, Pia reconnoiters for new clues which unveils as
“VALLEY OF ARROW ON YOUR RIGHT
MENT TO DESIST
BE COURAGEOUS
AND SWEEP THROUGH THE CENTRE
IN SEARCH OF ENGRAVED ARROW
THAT LEADS TO THE FIRST LETTER”
“Arrows!! Shooting, wow!!!” murmurs Anurag and heads to the right door.
I found myself in a valley on a moon-lit night with a bow and quiver. Heading straight through the center, I came to a waterfall which I could not touch.
Surprised, I asked why?
Recollecting the clue, “..in search of engraved arrow”, I peeped through the trees and every leaves only to meet the debacle followed by hunt through the stones ending at a fish-epigraph. Gazing closer, I saw a pearl in its eye. Pressing caused nothing. So I aimed the pearl and it pierced, rolling the stone behind the waterfall, paving my path to the letter ‘G’ on a stony at the center.
– — – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – —
“SHADOW QUEST THE NEXT
TO ALLURE YOU A LITTLE MORE WITH DECEPTION
FEAR NOT
BUT FREEZE AT THE TWINKLING LIGHTS
THAT CARRYS YOU
TO THE SHADOW OF QUICK FIX
EVINCING THE LETTER’S HIDE-OUT ” says the second.
“Optics, my life, umbrellas shadows” vocalizes Mahima trudging towards the door two, about to plummet in lake ahead. Pulling aside I recuperated.
I rowed straight to the jungle at the other end. The tiny-twinkle-chase brought me before a giant stature casting its elongated shadow under the moonlight. Shadow scrutiny was ineffectual.
Disappointed, I stood on the shadow looking straight to the moon; discovered the moon, statue, and shadow in a straight line pointing north. Turning my head to north caught sight of enlightened-mountain-top. I hastened and dashed in, to get the letter ‘E’.
– – – — – – – — – – — – – – – – – – — –
“NOW IS THE TIME
FOR YOU TO STRICK THE BULL’S EYE
CIRCLE THE FIRST STONE UNTO YOUR LEFT
AND ACQUAINT WITH THE CLUE
THUS CHISEL OUT A GEOMETRICAL FIGURE
WITH ENTRAPED ENGLISH LETTER
BE WATCHFUL IT’S NOT THE BEGINNING ONE” lined the third.
Aghast Sagar says, “Oh no! Bull’s eye shot is in my court.” Pulling the giant compass, I circled the first stone on left. It fell, acquainting me with three yellow coins.
Scratching my head I asked, “Geometry and these coins what, how???”. I felt dumb and blank with no ray of hope.
“Gosh! Entrapped means captivated within i.e. English letter in geometrical figure.”
Scribbling the twenty-six alphabets on floor, I gazed at them and the coins. Coins felicitous only two letters.
‘Akad-bakad which one?” I asked. “ …it’s not the beginning one” points the clue. Thus rejecting the first, I got my letter nestling coins well. Linking the coins I got ‘T’ entrapped in a triangle.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _
Pia laid ‘GET” at the entrance to abut with moon-light, followed by loud rumbling and jolting. Right through the dusty smoke we saw a new door adjacent to the previous one. As usual, Anurag unlocks. Scaling through the old-dilapidated staircase had the glimpse of beautiful glittering-diamond held securely amidst the praying hands.
Sagar simultaneously lifts the glittering-diamond with his right and slips the dwindle-diamond of his left into the praying hands, thrumming
“Rest and rejuvenate for the next millennium oh dear dwindle-D
Till the next posse needs you for recovery.”
All that bathed in the twinkling-light of the diamond, lost its majesty. The glorious lotus is no more visible.
With the glittering-diamond in hands, the vibrant quadro flew back to the gasping Bode.
Moon still on high, but the museum lay still. Denuding the glittering-diamond, Sagar says “Not anymore Bode, your life is back.” Heading straight to the center, right under the dome, below the riding horse statue, Sagar installs the glittering-diamond.
Moments after the mingling of silvery-white-moonlight with the glazing-diamond-delight, it arose. The horse with its rider alive, gallivanting on the museum floor. Mourns of ladies and commanding knights commands echoed. The sitting statue at the stairs, gazed at us. Mesmerizing was witnessing Mary’s donkey ride, the praying Jesus, and oh yes, king in its majesty. The angels in their heavenly accoutre, flapping and hovering was the rarest. Every statue enjoying its emancipation. Sumptuous was the ancient museum, alive and bustle.
At dawn, with the first sunlight, all creatures receded to their places acquiescing its stillness, in hope to be alive on next moon-lit-night.
