The passage narrowed, the oppressive weight of centuries bearing down on them as they ventured deeper into the heart of the tomb. The cold air seemed to whisper ancient secrets, and the flickering lantern light created ghostly patterns on the stone walls.

Raj led the way with steady confidence, his sharp eyes analyzing every detail, every crack in the floor, every symbol etched into the stone. His mind was a labyrinth of possibilities, connecting forgotten myths to the reality before him.

"If I'm right," Raj mused silently, "we're standing at the edge of history—about to uncover something the world forgot existed."

He paused suddenly, raising his hand. The team froze, tension crackling like static electricity.

"There's a trigger stone beneath the next step," Raj said calmly. "Step on it, and the entire ceiling will collapse."

Victor, standing just behind him, leaned in to inspect the stone. His eyes widened. "How can you tell?"

Raj tapped the edge of the stone with his foot. "The pressure plate is slightly lower than the surrounding stones. The wear pattern is uneven—someone's been here before and didn't make it far."

Victor nodded, impressed despite himself. "Not bad, Darkthrone."

Victor's POV

Victor watched Raj carefully as they moved past the trap. His heart was pounding, but Raj remained calm, almost too calm.

"He's not just a scholar," Victor thought. "He's a predator—always thinking three steps ahead."

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Raj had saved them from certain death, but there was something unnerving about how easily he navigated these ancient death traps. Victor had seen men like Raj before—brilliant, driven men who would sacrifice everything for their obsessions.

He glanced back at Eva and Elias. Eva looked exhilarated, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. Elias seemed more cautious, his analytical mind trying to keep up with Raj's deductions.

Victor shook his head. "They don't know him like I do. They still think he's just another eccentric genius. But I've seen what happens when men like Raj are pushed too far."

Eva's POV

Eva could barely contain her excitement. The deeper they went, the more the tomb revealed itself to her—a labyrinth of forgotten languages, symbols she had only seen in obscure texts.

"This is a discovery of a lifetime," she thought. "No… of several lifetimes."

Her eyes darted from carving to carving, her fingers itching to document every detail. She glanced at Raj, who stood before the ancient door, his eyes alight with something primal.

"How does he know all this?" Eva wondered. "It's as if he's lived these stories, not just studied them."

She felt a thrill of admiration—and a twinge of fear. Raj wasn't like other archaeologists. He didn't just want to uncover the past. He wanted to own it.

Elias' POV

Elias adjusted his glasses, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. He had always been a man of logic and facts, but something about this tomb felt... wrong.

He studied Raj, who was deciphering the carvings on the massive stone door. His movements were precise, his confidence unnerving.

"He's a genius," Elias admitted silently. "But geniuses are dangerous."

He remembered stories about Raj's past—how he had uncovered secrets that others had deemed impossible, how he had outwitted scholars and rival archaeologists alike. "They called him a madman," Elias recalled. "But maybe they were just afraid of how far he was willing to go."

Elias' gaze lingered on the ancient symbols. "And now he's leading us into the unknown, chasing something we can't even comprehend."

Raj's Monologue

Raj's fingers traced the symbols on the door, his mind racing through years of research and forgotten lore.

"The cradle of gods," he murmured. "They tried to bury it, but the truth always finds its way back to the surface."

He glanced at the team, a faint smile on his lips. "They have no idea what we're about to uncover. If only they knew… but some truths are better revealed slowly."

The carvings told a story—a forgotten civilization that worshipped gods of chaos and creation. The door was a puzzle, a test of knowledge and intuition. Raj could feel the challenge calling to him, daring him to unlock its secrets.

"This door," he said, turning to face the team, "is more than just an entrance. It's a gatekeeper. Only those who understand its language can pass."

Victor raised an eyebrow. "And what happens if we get it wrong?"

Raj smirked. "Then we won't be around to find out."

He turned back to the door, his fingers deftly aligning the symbols. His movements were confident, almost instinctual, like a master chess player executing a well-planned strategy.

The door groaned, ancient gears grinding to life. With a deep rumble, it began to open.

Raj stepped back, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Welcome to the cradle of gods."