"Shouldn't we be sleeping?" Chezhiyan asked as he slumped on the couch, finishing the dishes,

"Ahmm-Uhmm", Sushil shook his head in denial, leaning on the wooden recliner. His mind drifted to the book and the vintage paper. Chezhiyan noticed that Sushil was lost as his eyes bore a faraway look. Picking up the sealed envelope, he tore open the cover and found a report with some photographs of Vallipaadi village and a letter. His strong gaze ran through the report, and he studied the photographs thoroughly.

"This report seems to be a manipulated one, as the soil sample test says that the minerals found in the logs and the roots are cannot be found in the soil of Vallipaadi", he said, looking at Sushil.

"Why would you say so?" Sushil asked.

"Uhm...Vallipaadi is a village that is located much closer to the deep forests. So, the sol must contain rich minerals", he reasoned

"Hmm... Anything else on the cover?" Sushil quizzed, crossing his legs.

"There is a letter", Chezhiyan held out the paper.

"Destruction and catastrophe await us, with death being the keeper of our gates. Protect the lands, so you could have your true self, belonging to you", Sushil read the letter and looked at Cheziyan, who had clenched his fists and his eyes, turning dark.

"Chezhiya", Sushil shook him out of his stupor. Blinking his eyes in quick succession, he let out a tensed sigh.

"You okay?" Sushil looked at him, concerned, to which he nodded, ruffling his hair.

"Why should one write such things? What does that mean?" Sushil stared at the letter in his hand. Chezhiyan yanked it from his hands and threw it away.

"That's not necessary. Here, look at this report and photos", he handed him, the envelope.

Revise well? He read the words on the top of the cover.

I am certainly surrounded by stupid mysteries.

He studied the report and the photographs. After a few observations, they jotted down the possible assumptions they had, regarding the case.

"The accused should be a group who are well aware of the geography of the village. So they should be either from the village or the one residing in the nearby villages at the radius of 50 kilometres on the eastern side because the other three sides are of dense forests."

"Jallikaadu, Kundramnaadu and Vasanthalur. These are the villages that lie around the radius of 50 kilometres from Vallipaadi", Chezhiyan explained.

"And, according to the police records, the logging happens every 15 days, so their hiding place should be either a secluded area in the village or should be inside the forest. The north-eastern side of the village seems to have lost a lot of trees, including some sandals ad redwoods. So, that might be the spot", Sushil said, looking at the photograph in his hand.

"Hmm, yes. But about the hiding area, I don't think they would be entering the forest", Chezhiyan said.

"Why?"

"Whoever be the leader of the scandal group, he wouldn't be hiring someone outside the village for two reasons. Firstly, he needed to pay them a lot, and, second, he wanted his workers to be familiar with the lace and the habitant trees. The people of Vallipaadi won't enter the forest, as they believe that the one who enters the forest might either get lost in the Mathikettan solai or would return bearing a curse, that destroys the entire village. So, hiding inside the forest wouldn't be an option", Chezhiyan concluded.

"Mathikettan solai? It is a myth", Sushil scoffed but the writings of Ilangovendan flashed through his eyes.

"Sometimes it is good to leave certain things untouched, for the welfare of oneself", Chezhiyan breathed out calmly and fetched the pictures to have another look at them. But he snapped his eyes away from it, as he felt an intense gaze of Sushil on him.

"What is it?" he raised his brows.

"Aren't you being more philosophical today?" Sushil looked at him carefully. Rolling his eyes at him, Cheziyan resumed his work. The air between was silent, as Sushil sat, shutting his eyes.

What is it about people and Mathikettan solai? What is the mystery is all about?

He pondered the answer in silence. The faint ticking of the clock echoed across the room. The silverware wall clock showed the time was half-past one in the early wee hours of the day. 

"Ahh-haaaaaa", Chezhiyan yawned, clicking his fingers. His drowsy eyes looked at Sushil puzzled, as he seemed to be fresh as a morning flower.

"Aren't you feeling sleepy?" he asked him, his mouth opening wide as a yawn made its way out.

"Nope. You get to bed", Sushil said, closing his eyes.

"You're hiding something, aren't you, Sushi?" Chezhiyan narrowed his eyes at him.

Opening his black, round eyes, he looked at him, shaking his head, "No. I am not."

Chezhiyan stared at him, his dark orbs seemed to penetrate through his soul. 

"Okay, I buy your lie. But the day, I find it, be ready to face the consequences", glancing at him for one last time, he strode to his room.

"And", he turned around, entering his room.

"Don't smoke", he pointed his finger at him and shut the door.

After being sure that he shut his doors, Sushil pulled out the paper from his pockets and tried analysing the pattern of the symbols. 

What is hidden behind these symbols? 

Pulling the steel drawer of his study table, he picked up the books of Ilangovendan. 'The Chronicles of the green lands', he opened the book and skimmed the index page.

Mathikettan Solai-Game of minds, Page 148.

Pushing the pages aside, he jumped to page 148 and began reading.

'Mathikettan Solai-Game of minds.'

'Mathikettan Solai, the literal meaning of the words are 'the place one loses his mind.' Nobody knows what is behind this place and what is it made of. 

Maranjampatti is the village that lies on the border of the western ghats. People of the village are scared, even at the mention of Mathikettan solai. It was said, that those who enter the place never return. People believe that the ancient magics of the 'sapta rishis' are protecting those areas from the human eyes, as the place holds the most valuable medicinal plants which work as a cure to many malignant diseases. 

To untangle the layers of rumours and stories, I once entered the dense forest near the village of Maranjampatti. The lush greenery and the tall trees explained to me the hidden beauty of nature. The air was scented with the fragrance of medicinal herbs and magics. All the while, I could hear some humming at a low frequency, that started to play games with my mind. As I travelled deep inside the forest, my vision blurred and the humming vanished into thin air. And, I fell, losing my consciousness. 

My slacked eyelids pained, as I tried opening my eyes. I could smell the aroma of rich organic food, cooked at a distance. Opening my eyes slowly, I cast a look around the place. I was in the middle of some people, who looked like the native tribes. They had a well-chiselled body and their eyes bore a faint shade of emerald green. Each man carried a coral coloured conch with them and, the women looked divinely beautiful, their dusky skin, glowing like gold.

It seemed like a hidden dynasty. A secret realm, filled with mysteries. Balancing on my feet, I walked to an old man. 

"We were expecting your arrival, Ilango", the old man smiled softly at me. Masking my shock, I-'

Sushil shut the book in frustration.

"Lie. Everything is a lie. This man, Ilangovendan is a scam. And, I am going to disclose the dirty secrets of him and his allies, hiding in the jungle", he fumed in anger.

Throwing the book on the table, he looked at the paper with symbols on it. Staring at the book and the paper for a few minutes, he pulled out his phone.

"Hello. I need a favour", he asked the one on the other side of the call.

"I need details about the author named, Ilangovendan and about the village called, Maranjampatti as soon as possible."

"No. It is for my personal use."

"Yeah, thank you."

He tossed his phone on the couch and stretched himself for a good five minutes. Gathering his tired self, he walked to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of wine. Tossing the cap away, he poured the red coloured liquid into his elegant wine glass. Holding the stem of the glass delicately, he sipped the liquid slowly, moaning at its dark-sweet taste, as the cold liquid went down his food pine.

You now have me at your back. I am going to find you, my mystery realm.

He looked at the books on the table, and the pages flipped rapidly as the gusty wind blew past the windows.

-----------------------------------

Note:

The names of the villages used in the chapter are purely imaginative.

'Jallikaadu'- Pronounced as, 'Ja-ill-e-ka-uh'
'Ja' as in the word, 'jug'
'ka' as in the word 'can'

'Kundramnaadu'- Pronounced as, 'Ku-n-drum-nah-duh'
'Ku' as in the word, 'Kung fu'

'Vasanthalur'-Pronounced as, 'Va-sun-tha-ill-oor'
'Va' as in the word 'Van'
'oor' as in the name 'Noor'

'Maranjampatti'-Pronounced as, 'Ma-ran-jam-pat-e'