“In which direction?”
“Let’s go south towards the Turkish border. Led the dogs lead.”
Truffles starting to pop up and the group merrily began to fill the bag. Wooded surroundings turned into a slightly rocky imperceptibly. In one isolated from large boulders place, however, had a lot of mushrooms. The hunters dug around and came right up to the rocks. Ivan was standing near the wall in one of the excavated pits and squatting tried to pull another truffle. Suddenly the ground beneath him collapsed and yelled like he was dying. His friends, amazed run to the place.
“Ivan, are you alive?” cried Pisco.
“I'm all right, get off here and bring a big flashlight.”
The brothers pulled out the lamp from the bag and went down over the ruined soil covering the fallen stones. They lit theflashlight inside and saw a tunnel, several meters long.
“What is happening? In this mountain, there is action in every corner.”
“Let’s check the end, we are already here ... I will lead with the flashlight” Vasil move forward.
The walls were smooth like carved by human hands. They reached the end, lit the wall and Ivan froze. Painted like a canvas, she was covered from top to bottom with Egyptian hieroglyphics. But what made them silent wasn’t the signs but the figure next to them. She was a woman with cat head holding with her left hand down, the same pendant that was hanging from Ivan’s neck.
“Well, you're crazy,” slapped his forehead Pisco. “Isn’t that your medallion painted on this wall?”
“Fuck his mother, it is the same.”
“Motherfucker, he is.”
“Fuck me, it really is.”
All three spoke on the topic. They began touching the walls, stared around for holes, cracks or secret doors. Pushed plates to trigger something, but didn’t found any entrance. It became interesting for what was used this secret corridor. Ivan filmed everything around, and truffle hunters went out. Camouflaged the hole with bushes and stones and left on the shortest way home.
The three sat down at the computer in the house, thought to seek information about the find.
“Yo, that wacky professor mentioned something about a Bastet. Check him to see what it is this all about.”
Ivan opened Google and started searching. After several hours reading, watching popular science films and other, they looked puzzled but interested.
“So, if I understood correctly,” said Vasil, “the legend says that this goddess Bastet five to seven thousand years ago was brought here in a granite sarcophagus with her corpse inside. They built her a large underground tomb, laid inside the sarcophagus, and around it many gold objects and buried everything. Killed all the slave builders so that they can keep the secret. As I can see, however, as the legend has reached us, apparently someone has managed to get away.
“If what we found is the tomb, where are the sarcophagus and the gold?”
“That’s a mystery which only the wacky professor can solve. I propose to include him in the scheme. Find him on the website of the University of Veliko Tarnovo.”
Ivan found his photograph under which was pointed an email and phone number. He dialed it on his gsm, “Hello, is this Professor Parlatov?”
“On the phone. Am I speaking with the Templars?”
“OMG,” uprooted Ivan and added, “no, for now, we will not accept you in the order.”
“Too bad, it took me a day to learn the oath.”
“Listen, professor. We met in Virginia, I'm Ivan with the medallion.”
“Oooh, the medallion, the medallion ... Can I see it again?”
“You will certainly see it and beyond. Take your vacation days, because tomorrow we will come to get you. We'll talk then. This is not for the phone. I'll call you when I come.”
“Go on son, come and take me, I am ready to leave this dimension.”
“Yes, yes. Tomorrow will come with the mother ship to take you,” Ninth laughed and hung up.
Chapter X
Professor in action ...
On the next day, the Hummer stopped in front of the villa of the wacky professor who was just stirring his tea with lemon. A car horn was heard, and Parlatov peeped through the window. He recognized Ivan, threw his backpack instantly and left. The hunters stared at his clothes. The senior man was dressed like Indiana Jones to the smallest detail. Only instead of wearing a whip, there was a rope hidden in his backpack between his other gadgets.
“Professor, you killed the fish. I like you, honestly. You are full of surprises.”
The wacky looked at him from under his glasses, “My son, you haven’t seen anything yet ...”
Parlatov settled comfortably in the back seat, put his backpack at his feet, refusing categorically to put in the trunk. Ivan turned toward him from the driver's seat and handed him his gsm.
“Check the picture very carefully. We found that yesterday.”
The professor's hands started shaking.
“Did you photographed that in Egypt?”
“No, in Strandzha, near Malko Tarnovo.”
The wacky suddenly raised his right hand, and in style Lenin spoke watching with a strange look like possessed, “People, this is the discovery of the 19th century.”
“Professor, we are already the 21st century.”
“It doesn’t matter, it is the discovery of all time. Time is a relative thing ...” followed twenty minutes theories of Einstein, when finally Fantomas interrupted nervously, and the professor just added. “So as I told you, we are about to make a great discovery.”
“Professor, did you notice if someone is following you lately?” as he spoke, Ivan was looking in the side mirror the car behind them.
“If you talk about the two man in the BMW behind us, they came to my villa immediately after yesterday's conversation. I think the French government sent them. They do that regularly.”
The hunters again looked at each other but did not dare to ask, why the Frenchintelligence will follow him. He already blew their head with his theories.
Two hours later they stopped at a roadside tavern to eat local meatballs and see if the tail will pass them by. BMW, however, also stopped there. He group sat at a table inside the establishment, followed by the strangers. They took one of the corner tables. Ninth just waved his head to Vasil, and Fantomas winked back. After eating, they got up and went to the toilet. Pisco and the professor paid the bill and went to the Hummer. The strangers followed them and tried to enter the car. Ninth and Fantomas had circled from the back of the tavern and were waiting already for them. Ivan hit the head of the driver in the door, and Vasil punched twice in the face the other one. Both opened the trunk of the BMW and shoved inside their bodies. The Hammer drove with tremendous speed to Malko Tarnovo.
Along the way, the professor gave them a list of necessary things.
“You must buy those staff, it will help us when we descend into the place.”
“Don’t worry, Parlatov. Soon we arrive, but it is too late. Tomorrow morning we will make the expedition to the site. Today we will relax nicely.”
Pisco accommodated the professor in one of the rooms, but he refused to join them at the table in the yard. The group sat down to eat and drink when they saw the wacky in pajamas to pass along the gazebo and heads to the dark side of the yard. He stood in one place and began to look at the sky.
“Now, what happens?” asked Vasco lazily.
“Go check him, Pisco, that today I had enough of this crazy old man.”
Brother approached Parlatov, “What’s up, what are you looking for?”
“The weather is clear, no clouds, the stars are visible ... Glimpsing a flying saucer is normal. I can calculate speed and distance ...”
“Aaa, flying saucers passes a lot,” laughing, Pisco began to move away. “Good luck!”
In the morning the expedition, equipped, took on forest trails. The group was enthusiastic about the upcoming adventure and outlook for gold. This time, the dogs were not with them
because they were not going for mushrooms. They stopped next to stone fountain, and while filling their canteens with water, the professor pulled a map. Lay it on the stone and began to draw something, looking around, at the sun, nearby rocks, started to draw some numbers and lines. The mushroom-gatherers did not dare to ask what he was doing because they knew from experience that from such an inquiry will follow at least twenty minutes meaningless conversation. As they walked briskly towards the place Ivan muttered, “Fantomas, did you order the drone?”
“Yes, it will arrive in a few days.”
“Is everything in my list available?” asked the wacky.
“”It’s in the backpacks, yes. I just don’t understand, professor, what are you going to do with the vibrator? You don’t strike me as gay?”
“I needed a new vibrator for the aquarium in the Institute. What did you take?”
“Hahaha, it’s not about fish. Maybe you’ll need it, you never know. If you have a colleague, you can give it to her on Woman’s day.”
In such conversations at some point, they arrived at the secret location. They poked the bushes and went down below, camouflaging the entrance again. They took two large lamps that lit up the whole tunnel.
The professor checked the entire area several times, taking some notes. He sat in the corner and began leafing through his notebook.
“What happened, Professor? Can we help with something?”
“Guys, what’s written is a riddle, and in the answer lies the key to the entrance.”
“Entrance to the temple?”
“No, it says that here is the staff of Bastet, which will help us find her tomb.”
“Tell the riddle.”
“First I will explain about the key of life. That’s the pendant around Ivan’s neck. This symbol is known as the breath of life, the key of the Nile or cross with handle. Represents the concept of life. All Egyptian deities are depicted with it. I think that through it we will open the door, but can not figure out where to put it. Whoever has affixed ring and chain of this pendant, didn’t knew what he possessed. This way they cheated all subsequent buyers, without knowing.
“Malchance.”
“There's something else that is interesting. According to the legend, Bastet was with lion's head to 22nd Egyptian dynasty, when they begin to present her with a cat head. Here, the figure is also presented with such a head, but that was built at least 3000 years before then. Apparently, only the priests knew the truth and had it passed down through the centuries. Later they transferred again in Egypt, hence the change in her appearance.”
“And those priests lived here?”
“Yes, they mixed with the local population, which probably was composed by Thracian tribes. There was a widespread cult in these lands, whose center was Bastet. Cats were sacrificed. They twisted theirnecks to kill,mummify and sell them to buyers who were laying them in specially designed funeral chambers.”
“And what is the riddle?” asked with interest Ninth.
“When the eye sees you, you will know the truth.”
“What a fucking riddle. Is there something else?”
“That’s all.”
All stared at the wall, and Ivan focused spoke under his nose, “Eye sees you ...” The professor also arranged next to them and with hand began to measure some invisible edges. Pisco crouched and started touching some hieroglyphics on the wall. Everyone was exploring, searching, touching the floor and walls.
“Perhaps there is something in the fallen rocks from where we entered that we missed?”
“There is nothing, I’ve already examined them. Here is the answer.”
Ivan was watching a triangle, inside with an eye, press it with a hand in different places, but nothing happened.
“Professor, are you sure that you accurately translated the hieroglyphics? This eye does not move at all.”
“It’s too simple to be this eye ...”
“Well, I don’t see another one here,” said Pisco nervously.
The wacky professor blinked vigorously while watching the head of Bastet.
“Ivan, can you pick me up on your shoulders and approach me closer to the wall?”
“Are we playing "Horse"?” laughed the guard.
Parlatov jumped on his neck, and the tough man lifted him up like a feather. He walked towards the wall and started waiting. The professor began to push the back of the head of the goddess. Her head swiveled toward them. On her forehead had a third eye with a hole in it. Trembling, the wacky pushed Ninth by the shoulder, “Give it, give it. Here is the place. Here is it, there it is. Ivan, are you deaf? Give the medallion now.”
, with one hand holding the professor, with the other stretched to remove the chain from his neck. In the euphoria of discovery, however, slammed his fist on the old man balls.
“Oh, gently, gently. These are my jewels. You'll crush my eggs. Give the medallion already.”
The senior man carefully checked the opening of the third eye, put the key in and turned it. A sound of detaching item was heard, and dust fell from the ceiling.
“What now?” Vasil asked stupidly.
“Put me down,” started kicking the professor.
Ivan dropped him off quickly, and the teacher from Turnovo University energetically pressed the triangle with the eye. The door swung on its axis, and the smell of stale air hit them.
“Quickly, put the gas masks,” ordered the wacky.
All followed the advice and immediately put them on. They raised the lanterns and everybody entered the dark tunnel, but Vasil. He stayed outside as a precaution in case of a collapse.
After twenty meters the end of the tunnel was seen. Ivan excited hurried, wanting first to make the significant discovery. To his surprise, when he reached the end, underneath him opened a vast chasm. Nothing could be seen further ahead. They took a few glowing sticks and threw them in the dark, illuminating huge underground cave. Ninth looked around and saw carved into the rock stairs winding down. They descended on them and lit fully with the lanterns and the flashlights. Somewhere below could be heard the river, removed the masks, the air was good.
“Check around,” the professor broke the silence in the cave.
“What should we look for?” naggingly said Pisco. “It's not like I have a handbook or something ...”
“We are looking for Bastet’s staff, who she was holding in herright hand. Or morehieroglyphics, or anything ...”
The three wandered in different directions, but there was nothing to guide them away. Then the wacky thought, “This river here is not accidental. The location was chosen because of her. It symbolizes the Nile, and your pendants is the key to her. The edge of the cliff stands at five or six meters above the river. We have to look at the rocks on the side for niches or others. Give me a tightrope, a mirror,and aflashlight.”
The mirror was made with a frame and carbine grip for the rope and gadget fortheprojector.He pulled out a folding stick with crotch on top. Stretched it to a distance of about 1.5 meters and pulled with her the rope against himself to be able to see the cliffs from below when descends the mirror. Turned the flashlight and began to look the rocks for something unusual. Not long after, about a meter below them saw in the mirror a big hole. He pulled it up, marked the place in front of his foot and turned to Pisco.
“Put the rope, you will go into the hole.”
“Why did you chose me? I don’t know anything about antiques. Le’s descend you.”
“You are lightweight and young. You don’t need to know about antiques. Just tell me what you see.”
“Pff, shit. Again I’m fucked. Give me the rope ...”
Ivan, slightly smiling, pulled out the climbing gear. Put him the belt, fastened the rope to the carabiner and the other end tied to a rock.
“You can descend now, we will keep you.”
Pisco shifted his flashlight on his head, gripped tight the rope, crossed himself three times and muttered, “Come on, God before us, and we after him ... I
f anything happens to me, tell my brother to take care of the dogs and don’t forget that on 1st, it’s vaccines time...”
The brother started descending slowly by the sheer cliffs and Ivan held the rope with both hands. The truffle guy grabbed the edge, pulled himself and went into the small cave. A step forward and he felt how the tile underneath his feet sank. At this point from the carved niche in the ceiling fell surprisingly with the heavy sound of chains, the skeleton of a large cat with scary red glowing eyes and fierce expression. Pisco roared like dead and threw himself backward instinctively, but because of the fright fell unconscious.
“Are you, okay?” shouted Ivan.
“Pull him quickly. Something happened, his lifeless body tumbles around.”
Ninth quickly pulled the rope and put his friend on the ground. The professor took out a bottle of ammonia from his pocket and placed it under Pisco’s nose. The brother opened his eyes and said, “The devil is here, this place is cursed. I went straight to hell.”
“Calm down, explain what exactly you saw. It’s probably a trap.”
“I saw something large, with brightly glowing red eyes and big claws. Perhaps skeleton with rattling bones ... It all happened very quickly. I don’t remember more.”
“Apparently, there are traps. Now we have to be very careful. Hand over the mirror to check again.”
Professor lowered it down, stopped it and lit the place. Establish that this is the skeleton of a cat with rubies for eyes. Explained to others what it is about, but Pisco refused to enter again. The senior man scratched his head, pulled out another rope, made a ladder with few steps from it, tied her to a rock and descended below alone. He grabbed the cat by the neck and took the large rubies, then continued very slowly inward, looking at everything carefully, thinking, “You have to watch your steps.” A few meters in front of him shone the goldenrod driven into the granite stand. Didn’t rush to pick him up and looked the place around him. Drops of sweat appeared on his head. Fear came upon his thoughts. He didn’t saw other niches, squatted in front of the object, in order to keep his head safe from a possible threat, and timidly pulled out the artifact. The granite began gradually to descend and hollow rumble, followed by vibrations, made the professor to held his breath and rush to the exit. With the speed of a monkey climbed the ladder and saw the others who were staring into a tunnel formed in the wall.
Truffle Hunters: Secret of the Mountain (The Lost Temple Book 1) Page 4