The Mistery of Belicena Villca quickly climbed up to a six-pointed star-shaped skylight that , by looking East , by day allowed the rays of the Sun to illuminate the enormous statue of Rigden Jyepo , but that on the exact day of the summer solstice led the sunlight directly to the Heart of the King of the World . Fortunately that horrible opening admitted the passage of a man , which was taken advantage of by Gangi to descend by throwing a rope inwards ; his brother would stand guard on the outer cornice .
Once inside , he verified that the Temple was illuminated by torches , and that , tied tightly with hemp ropes , Oskar Feil slept on the sacrificial stone . In front of him , the Chief of the Lords of Karma was enjoying in advance the yajnavirya of his pain , the intruder thought with a shudder , observing the rictus and devilish gaze of the sinister sculpture . But he saw something else : inside there was also a guard . It consisted of four Duskhas , although they were quite a distance away , next to the only door of the Temple : two slept on a mat , while the other two chatted animatedly . The Gurkha began to creep , trying to get the sacrificial stone to intercept the vision of the Duskhas and carrying in his mouth a sharp dagger to cut the ligatures .
Momentarily hidden behind the stone altar , the Gurkha Kâulika sat up gently and peered over Oskar ' s body at the Duskhas ' behavior : they were still completely distracted , entertained now in playing dice . He slid a hand over Oskar ' s face and he pressed it tightly against his mouth , in order to prevent him from speaking or making any unnecessary sound when waking up . However , despite shaking him with singular violence , the prisoner did not come to himself . He finally opened the eyes , but Gangi saw them white , his pupils bulging upward , and he realized with disappointment that the German was suffering from the effects of a narcotic .
Nothing could be done except to go back and leave the Temple . Shiva would know how to forgive who at least had risked his life to rescue the victim of the Demons . But it ' s obvious that the Gods arranged another Fate for the Gurkha ; by removing his hand from Oskar ' s mouth , believing him completely vanished , the unthinkable happened : he uttered a high-pitched wail and convulsed for an instant , to immediately fall into the previous faint .
The body was inert again , but it was too late : the sentries were running towards the altar uttering exclamations . The Gurkha jumped on the first and he stabbed him , but had to surrender next in the face of the threat of two deterrent rifles . Another guard opened the door of the Temple and soon there was an enraged crowd of Duskhas surrounding the intruder . If Gangi had counted with the weapons of the Kâulikas warriors he would have put up a better fight , but given the role of porter he represented on the expedition as much as he could carry was that knife hidden in his clothes . In that terrible moment , the only thing that he wished was for his brother to get away .
And his wish was granted , as the other Gurkha swiftly descended from the cornice and plunged into the lake , gaining shore unseen . Hidden behind a little wall that followed the outline of the beach , he observed how minutes later Ernst Shaeffer arrived accompanied by two of his most faithful collaborators and six Lamas of the Turmeric Bonnet . His brother ' s fate was sealed .
In the case of being captured , both agreed to declare that the incursion to the Temple obeyed the sole purpose of the robbery : - “ they supposed that in the Temple --they would say-- there would be valuables that could be stolen from the custody of the Duskhas and then trade them in China or India , thus producing a favorable change in the lives of two poor Sherpas ”. They would be executed , of course , for the sacrilege committed and , especially , because Schaeffer could not leave witnesses to Oskar Feil ' s presence in the Temple . But the version of the robbery would remove their suspicions and would not jeopardize the task of the German spies .
Now one of the Gurkhas , Bangi , was free but there could no room for hope about the fate of his brother : he would be assassinated to avoid him from speakimg and thus present his body to the rest of the expedition , stating that he was killed when caught in the act carrying out a robbery in a Temple , not the Rigden Jyepo ' s but another to which the corpse would be transported .
He was not mistaken , for after a while two guards came out carrying the lifeless body of Gangi , followed by the Germans and the Lamas : in the moonshine , he could see his neck sectioned from ear to ear , having to clench his teeth to avoid a cry of pain . He consoled himself by thinking that his brother possessed the Kula and that he would soon dance with Shiva the dance of immortality .
–“ Kâly , Oh Kâly : – he mentally invoked – communicate to me your Power of Death , turn me into Shindje shed , the Lord of Death , into Dordji Vigdje , the Lord of Terror , in Shiva Bhairava ; grant me , Oh Parvati , the Honor to avenge the blood of my brother , your faithful servant ; help me to regain the dignity of Kshatriya ; transform me into Kâlybala , the Force that will destroy the Enemies of your Kula Path ; put in my hands Trisula , the Trident of Shiva , Vajra , the Ray of Indra , and Gandiva , the Arch of Arjuna , with Isudhi , his two quivers of arrows that never miss their target !"
While praying in this way to the Black Goddess , the Gurkha feverishly swam to get away from the damned Ashram Jafran , aware that he would soon be wanted as an accomplice of his brother and sentenced to the same execution .
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