Below the Earth

By Chrispen Dee

Discover a hidden, underground world full of wonder and peril in this gripping sci-fi romance. Shimmer in the Depths is the first book in the addictive new Embrace of the Serpent series.

#scifi #romance #mythology

Deep beneath the earth's surface, Dr. Raj embarks on an expedition to uncover the secrets of the mythical Naga civilization. But when he encounters the alluring Naga princess Shyama, an astonishing forbidden love blooms that will irrevocably intertwine their two worlds.

Delve into the mystical underground realm of the Nagas, an ancient advanced race with mysterious abilities. Explore their biotechnology, culture, and secrets as Raj is drawn deeper into danger and desire.

Shyama opens Raj's eyes to marvels beyond his imagination in her hidden subterranean sanctuary. Yet with her destiny as future Naga queen, falling for a human could doom them both.

Raj and Shyama forge an unbreakable bond despite the barriers dividing them. But tensions brew as the balance of Naga society is threatened. When danger erupts, only their love can light the darkness.

Shimmer in the Depths fuses science fiction, romance, and mythology into an irresistible page-turner. For fans of PNR, fantasy, star-crossed love stories, and sprawling underworld adventures.

#myth #scifiromance #amreading

Lose yourself in theEmbrace of the Serpent series. Start reading Shimmer in the Depths now and unlock the mysteries below.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chrispen Dee
• Release date: Oct 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223000228

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dr. Raj's fascination with ancient legends

Dr. Raj had always been drawn to the allure of ancient legends and the secrets they held. His passion for deciphering the mysteries of the past was unparalleled, making him a renowned archaeologist in academic circles. Even as a young boy growing up in a small village in rural India, he recalled being enthralled by the folktales his grandmother would narrate - tales of fantastical creatures, lost civilizations and magic.

While the other children's eyes would glaze over as evening fell and his grandmother gathered them around the fire, Raj would sit enraptured, picturing the scenes unfolding in his mind's eye. He spent hours afterwards asking his grandmother questions, trying to understand the hidden meanings and untangle the threads of myth from history. What kernel of truth lay buried beneath the hyperbole? What ancient wisdom had been encoded into the symbols and metaphors of legend? Raj needed to know.

As he grew older, Raj voraciously read every book on mythology and archaeology he could get his hands on. His parents, humble farmers, didn't always understand their son's relentless curiosity. They tried to guide him towards more practical pursuits, but nothing could deter him from his passion. Raj knew from a young age that he was destined to be a seeker of secrets, an explorer of the unknown.

When he came across the legends of the Nagas in the Puranas as a teenager, Raj became utterly transfixed. These mythical serpent beings who inhabited the underground realm of Patala intrigued him like nothing else before. Scant concrete evidence of their existence remained, but Raj sensed immense wisdom hidden in the Naga myths if only one could unravel their meanings.

He pored over the limited texts mentioning the Nagas obsessively, trying to glean insights into their society, technology and relationship with humans on the surface. The Nagas boasted mastery over medicines and elixirs granting immortality and supernatural powers. But they remained shrouded in mystery. Much had been lost to the sands of time. Raj was convinced that invaluable knowledge from past eras lay buried somewhere beneath the surface if only he could access it.

As Raj came of age, he gained admission to a prestigious archaeology program in Mumbai, thrilling his proud parents. He immersed himself in his studies, spending long nights in the library and forming close friendships with professors who nurtured his keen intellect. Raj soaked up everything he could learn about unearthing secrets of antiquity.

During a college trip to the Ajanta and Ellora caves, Raj was awestruck by the carvings and murals depicting mythical themes. He traced his fingers over the engravings of gods, demons, and mythical hybrid creatures like the Naga. Though his professors explained them as symbolic mythology, Raj’s instincts told him these images hinted at some forgotten history.

After earning exemplary grades, Raj was accepted into a challenging Ph.D. program in the United States. Leaving his family was bittersweet, but his parents understood Raj’s thirst for knowledge could only be quenched abroad. They wiped tears from their eyes as they watched their son board a flight to America, eager to prove himself on the world stage.

At his Ivy League university, Raj truly came into his own. He published well-received papers on obscure archaeological themes and honed his skills as a meticulous researcher. Raj’s ability to see connections others missed and piece together disparate clues impressed faculty advisors. He earned praise for his bold, unconventional theories which challenged established historical narratives.

Though mocked by some peers for his interest in mythological archaeology, Raj found a kindred spirit in Professor Amar, a veteran archaeologist who appreciated his unique perspectives. Under Professor Amar’s guidance, Raj dove deeper into the study of folklore, recognizing myth as a form of coded history dismissed by modern science.

His 200-page doctoral thesis Decoding Myth: Reconciling Legend and Archaeology argued that myths contain metaphorical clues pointing to advanced lost civilizations predating recorded history. By rigorously analyzing mythology using an interdisciplinary social sciences approach, Raj proposed one could decode their core historical truths.

At his graduation, Professor Amar gifted Raj a rare 500-year-old Sanskrit manuscript discussing Patala, the fabled subterranean realm. Leafing through the fragile text, Raj’s pulse quickened. He knew he held the key to unlocking the secrets of the Nagas that had fascinated him since childhood. Now fully equipped as a mythological archaeologist, he vowed to be the one to discover the truths enfolded within their legends.

Raj’s unorthodox theories won him a position as head of the Ancient Civilizations department at the prestigious Rao Archaeological Institute in India. He now had the resources to launch an ambitious quest to find traces of the mythical Nagas. Communicating his ideas with enthusiasm and rigor, Raj won over skeptics on the institute’s board, securing grants to fund his exploratory mission.

Selecting a team of bright post-graduate students from diverse fields – geology, anthropology, linguistics – Raj began piecing together clues that could point to remnants of Naga civilization hidden beneath the earth’s surface. He pored over ancient Indian literary texts, identifying recurring geographic markers associated with the Nagas’ underground realm. Textual descriptions of the locations were vague, but Raj correlated them to known landscapes, concluding he would find cave passages leading to Patala somewhere along the Narmada River.

After months of meticulous preparation, Raj stood at the mouth of a recently discovered cave system in the Narmada valley, ready to lead his team into the unknown. A chill went down his spine as he peered into the gloomy darkness ahead. Tales from his grandmother echoed in his mind, conjuring images of the wondrous realm that may lie beneath.

Steeling himself, Raj switched on his headlamp and stepped forward. He had waited his whole life for this moment. At long last, he would seek out hard evidence of the Naga civilization, adding legitimacy to the fantastical myths that had captured his imagination as a child. As his team descended into the cave, Raj felt closer than ever to a monumental discovery that would shake the foundations of conventional archaeology.

The passage narrowed as they descended deeper into the ancient cave system. Raj's headlamp illuminated slick walls carved by ancient subterranean rivers. Strange mineral deposits glinted in streaks along the rock, hinting at the geological forces that had shaped this ancient place over millennia.

Raj scrutinized every inch of the cave walls, looking for any signs or symbols left behind by Naga civilization. According to the texts, the serpent race had built extensive networks of tunnels connecting their cities to the surface world. Could this cave be part of their mythical underground highway?

Several hours into the damp darkness, Raj let out an excited gasp. His lamp had landed on a faded etching depicting a hooded cobra. The iconic image was unmistakably a Naga, carved into the cave wall perhaps thousands of years ago. Raj's team gathered around him, a buzz of exhilaration passing through them. This was the first tangible evidence any of them had seen confirming the historical reality of the mythical Naga civilization.

Eagerly, Raj sketched the carving into his notebook, noting the location. As the team continued deeper into the cave, they discovered more etchings of serpents, interspersed with strange symbols. Raj hurriedly documented each one, struggling to contain his growing conviction that a monumental discovery lay ahead.

Towards the end of their first day's exploration, the cave opened into a high-ceilinged cavern. Raj swept his lamp upwards, illuminating a stunning mural sprawling across the cavern roof. Intricately depicted serpents were locked in an epic battle with strange horned humanoid creatures. The team stood mesmerized, necks craned backwards.

Raj's mind raced as he took in the scene. This appeared to depict the mythic wars between the Nagas and other races inhabiting Patala, lending further credence to the legends. He noted symbols that seemed to represent concepts like fire, water, and life force. What secrets did this mural hold about the Nagas' history, culture and knowledge?

As the team made camp for the night, Raj could barely contain his excitement. He had succeeded in leading them to the very doorway of Patala, the subterranean world imagined in myths. All his life, Raj had sensed there were grains of truth in these ancient stories that modern society had dismissed. Now, he was on the cusp of vindicating his unorthodox theories.

The smoke from their campfire rose into the dark cavern, merging with the echoes of bygone eras. Somewhere ahead lay the answers Raj had been seeking since he first heard the legends as a child. As he drifted to sleep, visions of discovering a living Naga civilization - more advanced than any known ancient culture - played out in his mind's eye. He imagined meeting an immortal Naga who could recount forgotten history from millennia past.

Tomorrow, Raj and his team would venture further into the abyss. The possibility of encountering living proof of mythical Naga origin stories seemed more real than ever. Raj could barely imagine what wondrous discoveries still awaited them in the sunken relics of Patala.

––––––––

Unearthing a Mysterious Artefact

The next morning, Raj and his team awoke invigorated by the prospect of what lay ahead. They broke camp efficiently, eager to make progress deeper into the cave system. Raj estimated they were still miles away from the inferred location of Patala itself. However, the increasing number of Naga etchings and symbols on the cave walls testified that they were on the right track.

As they moved through tunnels and caverns clearly sculpted by intelligent design rather than solely natural geology, Raj's anticipation built. This architecture, though eroded by time, hinted at the Naga civilization's lost grandeur. Raj imagined how these carved passages might once have linked thriving subterranean cities before being abandoned and forgotten.

By midday, the team reached the shores of an immense underground lake, its glassy black surface disappearing into darkness. Raj consulted his texts, blinking in awe as he realized this matched the description of Viraja, the mythical lake that bordered Patala itself. The team stood speechless upon its banks, feeling the weight of their proximity to a storied realm.

Raj reminded them that they still had much ground to cover. They would have to follow the lake's perimeter for some distance before finding the hidden entry points to Patala described in the texts. But standing at the shores of Viraja itself filled Raj with a sense of explosive discovery. They were treading the same path trod by mythical Nagas millennia ago.

Skirting the sprawling subterranean lake, they indeed uncovered further architectural remnants over the next few days. Tiered plinths, crumbling columns and geometric foundations hinted at the scale of a once-thriving community. Each night as Raj catalogued their findings, he further theorized about Naga engineering knowledge, culture and daily existence in this sunken realm.

The team also encountered increasing examples of what Raj termed bio-technology – intricately carved channels, spouts and basins integrated organically into the cave walls. Some still flowed with a glow of phosphorescent liquid, leading Raj to hypothesize these served medical or alchemical functions for the Nagas.

His mind swirled with speculation about their mastery over venom, anatomy and botany hinted at in the myths. The Nagas were portrayed as skilled healers and masters of obscure natural sciences using secretions from exotic Patalan flora and fauna. What remarkable innovations might they have devised in isolation from other cultures? Raj itched to find out.

After 10 days of navigating Viraja’s mist-shrouded outskirts, Raj felt certain they were within reach of the entrance to Patala proper. The ornate remnants pointed to proximity with a central seat of Naga power. Strange pictograms and glyphs became more prevalent, crying out to be deciphered. Raj's instincts told him a monumental insight lay around the next bend.

Turning a corner, the team then entered a mammoth cavern space unlike any before. Soaring pillars lined its circumference, covered in intricate Naga carvings illuminated by their headlamps. A towering doorway was carved into the far wall, bordered by an enormous hooded serpent.

Raj's breath caught as he recognized this matched textual descriptions of the entrance to Bhogavati, the mythical capital city of the Nagas. He stood stunned before the portal, overwhelmed by a sense of crossing the threshold into myth itself. Was this the final barrier to discovering a living, breathing Naga civilization?

With headlamps doused, Raj called for total silence. He listened intently for any activity in the caverns beyond, wondering if they were being observed even now by hidden inhabitants. But only stillness echoed back. The team sat in meditative quiet, absorbing the gravity of this moment. They lingered for some time, allowing the ageless power of this space to wash over them.

When their lights flashed back on, the team began scouring the perimeter of the grand hall, hoping to glean more clues before passing through the imposing doorway. Raj was drawn to a large, engraved basin built into the floor near the hall's centre. Kneeling, he examined its surface and intricate channels funnelling into a central spout.

This appeared to be a ceremonial structure used to collect and channel liquid for ritual offerings and bathing. Raj wondered if it had served in Naga coronations, initiations or other significant cultural rites. As he studied the basin intently, something half-buried in the sediment caught his eye.

Reaching in slowly, Raj extracted an exquisitely crafted object. In his palm lay a small crystal vial, its facets glinting even after untold years buried and forgotten. Raj noted delicate engravings on its surface depicting an entwined serpent. A stopper sealed its contents, which gave a faint slosh. Raj's fingers trembled as they curled around this artefact, sensing its significance.

The team crowded around, equally amazed by its state of preservation. After inspecting the vial reverently, Raj placed it in a foam-lined specimen case for further study back at the institute. This felt like a momentous discovery - one of the few intact relics ever recovered hinting at Naga history and culture. What secrets lay within?

Moving forward with care, Raj and the team passed through the towering doorway spanning three times their height. More wonders awaited beyond, sending a buzz of anticipation through the group. But the day's monumental find had left Raj exhilarated yet contemplative about their role in unearthing Naga secrets.

That night, Raj lingered over the gilt vial as the team slept, turning it over gently in his hands. He was grateful his insight had led them to it before exposure to light and air caused further decay. Yet he also wondered if some discoveries were meant to remain buried forever, their wisdom reserved only for the hidden heirs of lost civilizations.

Raj meditated on his life's driving quest to salvage and preserve ancient knowledge before it was erased by time. He had devoted himself to wresting secrets from the past and dragging them into the light of the modern era. But as he caressed the Naga relic's etched surface, Raj contemplated all the ways the outside world might misunderstand or misuse the transcendent wisdom of lost cultures.

As he finally drifted to sleep, Raj felt the vial's cool weight against his chest, as though it were imparting a silent message from those who crafted it ages ago. His responsibility was not only to extract Naga secrets but to honour the intentions with which they had been concealed from the world. Their true purpose would only reveal itself if he remained open, observant and respectful of mysteries beyond his current grasp.

The vial seemed to whisper that the greatest truths are often those just barely glimpsed from the corner of the eye. Raj tucked it into his shirt pocket, closer to his heart. In the days ahead, he and his team would uncover