Bhallar noticed the steps as soon as he stepped inside the tunnel. They were much worse than he remembered; crouching down, he illuminated the path ahead.

The underground passage was his family's secret, but the multitude of boot prints leading into the temple's heart suggested that that wasn't the case.

Bhallar leaned in further and concluded that all the prints seemed recent.

Perhaps the masters of the bootprints had followed his sister inside while she was trying to outrun them.
It didn't make sense that even though at least a dozen or so people looked like they had entered, none seemed to have left yet.

Fear knocked at Bhallar's heart.

What if he was already too late? What if Mayeen had already fallen into the hunters' hands!?

He quickened his pace, almost losing balance and falling into the dark abyss that ran along the steps. Soon, the faint gurgles of Aari reached him. The calming sound took him back to when his sister had joined baba and him on their yearly trip to visit almighty Ra's home. His father had surprised him when he had, instead of taking them through the eastern entrance, like always, had chosen a path Bhallar had never threaded on before. That was the first and last time they had ever taken that particular passage to get to the womb of the temple.

The siblings didn't know then that the next time they would enter the temple through the central part, they would be in such a dire situation.

Bhallar's mind wandered off to happier times, trying to piece together long-forgotten memories.

'He doesn't stay there, silly. It's just a place where ordinary people like us go to seek his blessing.'

'You are the silly one, Dada. Ra can only bless you if he is there waiting for you.'

'Don't start arguing here. This is a sacred place, so stay as quiet as possible, alright? The quieter one will get an additional piece of Violet Genoises.'

'Mn!'

'Mnnnn!'

The memory brought a nostalgic smile to the light-eyed man's lips.

'Baba, why does he always get an additional Violet Genoise!?'

'Because, my dear, you never seem to be able to follow orders.'

"Baba," Bhallar called softly into the dimly lit space. "I am scared. I lost her once already. I can't fail again."

Loud gushes replaced faint gurgles, the sound intensifying a thousandfold as he neared the first platform.

The platform was a plateau-like structure on top of which the second entrance lay.

A total of three entrances needed to be crossed to reach the temple's womb.
Atmoo had explained the significance of each platform to his children as they had come across each one.

'The first platform is where you must bow to show your humility and loyalty to almighty Ra. Only if he deems you worthy will he illuminate the way ahead.'

'What happens if almighty Ra doesn't deem us worthy, baba?'

'Well, my dear, Mayeen, in that case, he will not let you through the entrance.'

'What if I try to force my way in?'

'In that case, Ra will punish you, won't he?'

'Mayeen, why do you always ask such questions!?'

'Because you don't, Dada.'

Bhallar kept a close watch on the movement of the flames that lit his path, waiting for them to freeze for a few seconds, signaling that his next step would take him a level higher.

He didn't have to wait long. As soon as the flame froze, he stopped and waited for it to unfreeze before taking the next step.

Half a minute later, he heard a faint moan over the now-constant, low murmurs of Aari. The air around him reeked of rusting iron.

Blood!

Bhallar rushed towards the platform. Heaving, he stopped again before placing his foot on the raised surface.
What he saw made him feel faint.
Bile burned his throat when his eyes fell on bodies, at least ten of them with one or both of their limbs chopped off.

'What happened here?' Bhallar gasped noiselessly. He had never believed his father when the latter had told them that Ra would punish those who sought to enter the sacred space by force. The scene in front of him changed that.

'Isn't almighty Ra supposed to be merciful?' The healer in him was restless. 'How can I just leave them like this!?'

Bhallar approached the closest one. The unconscious man was missing his legs and looked no older than twenty. He bent down to check his pulse, but the dagger in his hand caught Bhallar's eye before he could. 

A bounty hunter!

Any doubt he might have had about his sister seeking refuge inside the temple was, put to rest.

The dagger that lay uselessly in the unconscious man's hands reminded him of a warning that had skipped his mind.

'One must never step into the temple with metal on them.'

'Why Baba?'

'Because the almighty Ra will think you are here to challenge him.'

'What about wood?'

'Dada, think about it. You are holding a torch in your hand. It's made of wood, isn't it?'

'Excellent observation, my dear.'

'Thank you, Baba.'

"Mayeen was always smarter than me. How did I never notice it before?" Bhallar deliberated, taking a step back. He shed the armor the Siyari women had gifted him, the rest of Hondo's babies, and the medical tools crafted with metal and hid them in an inconspicuous place under one of the chipped steps. He felt defenseless, but there was nothing he could do about that.

Pushing the bile back to where he intended it to stay, the physician turned bounty hunter gathered what was left of his courage, and stepped onto the platform. He neared the entrance and placed the flame in the holder at its threshold; lowering himself to his knees, he rubbed his palms together and bowing his head, he glanced up like he was taught. Instantly, as if by magic, light flooded the tunnel.

Bhallar bowed again and thanked the almighty Ra before entering the outer womb. His eyes darted in all directions, noticing a few pairs of footsteps leading towards the inner sanctum.

None were heading out.

Soon, Bhallar reached the second platform. This place had seen death as well. However, their cause of death was different. The bodies here seemed to have died because of bleeding out through their orifices.

Bhallar shook his head, disappointed.

'It's the platform of confessions, son. No man is without guilt. So voice whatever is weighing on your soul. Almighty Ra may be listening, for all you know.'

"Maybe these poor souls didn't confess." He muttered under his breath, then, without bothering to check their vital signs, took his place in front of the humungous arched door. Then raising his hands towards the sky, he closed his eyes and laid his heart bare, "I always thought it would be enough if I fulfilled my father's wish. The obsession took over me, and I didn't stop to take stock of what I still had. Help me, almighty Ra, the bringer of light, so I can cherish the bond that I took for granted."

The doors opened, and Bhallar walked inside. He didn't hear it close, but he knew that they had. As children, this tunnel, the closest one to the womb, had mesmerized Bhallar and Mayeen the most.

The medic ignored the precious stones adorning the walls. Instead, he focused on finding 'the spot' on the ceiling.

'Baba, how come we are so poor even when you know about this treasure?'

'Son, this is not a treasure. It is a test.'

'A test, baba?'

'Yes, my dear. In life, you will come across things that will attract you, just like these jewels that you see here. What you need to concentrate on is the real treasure. Find out what gives them their shine; if it's coming from within them, they are worth saving and protecting. See, on their own, these pieces of rocks are just that, rocks. What makes them shine is the light they steal from almighty Ra. Do you understand, children?'

'Mn.'

'I don't understand, baba.'

'You will, my sweet. You are still very young. Give it a few years, and if you still don't understand, your Dada or I will explain it to you, alright?'

'Mn.'

'Now, look up. Do you see it?'

'What is that, baba?'

'The spot.'

The spot was a circular hole cut into the tunnel's ceiling, positioned in such a way that depending on the time of the day, it let the rays of Ra enter the space and fall on the various precious stones that decorated its walls.

Bhallar took a moment to watch the brilliant sun rays enter the tunnel. He was fascinated by how they streamed through the tiny opening yet managed to brighten the whole place, just like a thousand lit candles would.

Bhallar didn't notice the passage of time or where his feet were leading him as he walked through the tunnel, following the rays of Ra.
He halted when the last platform came into view. It looked different now than it did when he had visited it years ago.

This platform was spotless and bare except for two lifeless bodies that looked like they belonged to old men. Very old men.

"How did they even make it till here?" Bhallar thought, then recalling that he was here on a mission, stepped onto the last platform, opened his arms, and spoke humbly, "Judge me as you see fit, God of light and life. I am at your mercy." Then rubbing his palms together, he put them on the floor; his forehead followed suit.

"I don't have much to offer at your feet. I apologize. Please be merciful." He pleaded, and fishing inside his pouch, he pulled out a Violet Genoise and placed it in the bowl of offerings before rising to his feet and waiting patiently in front of the closed door that didn't look like it was capable of letting a grown man pass through it.

'Trust in almighty Ra to judge you according to the life you have led and the choices you made to get there. And always, without fail, bring an offering the almighty God might enjoy.'

Bhallar closed his eyes and began counting.

One heartbeat.

Two heartbeats.

At the twenty-fourth beat of his heart, the door creaked open.

[Chapter word count: 1737;
Word count so far: 26229]