The leader smiled, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. "You have no choice in the matter. The Eye will be ours, and with it, we will restore the power of the Naga kings. The world will bow before the Serpent once more."
As the cultists began to close in, Aryan knew they had only moments to act. His mind raced, searching for a way to turn the situation to their advantage. The odds were against them, but he had come too far to give up now.
"We won't let you take it," Aryan repeated, his voice calm and steady.
Without warning, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a small pouch of powder—a mixture of ground herbs and minerals he had prepared for just such an occasion. He threw it into the air, the fine dust scattering in all directions.
The cultists recoiled, their eyes burning as the powder filled the air. Aryan grabbed Priya's hand and bolted toward the altar, their footsteps echoing through the chamber. The leader let out a furious hiss, but Aryan and Priya were already moving, their path cleared by the temporary distraction.
They reached the altar, the glowing box within their grasp. Aryan hesitated for only a moment before lifting the lid, revealing the Naga's Eye—a gem of extraordinary beauty, its surface shimmering with a strange, otherworldly light. The power emanating from it was palpable, sending a shiver down Aryan's spine.
But there was no time to marvel at the gem's beauty. The cultists were recovering, their hissing voices growing louder as they regained their senses. Aryan and Priya needed to escape before they were overwhelmed.
"Quickly!" Priya urged, her eyes darting to the far end of the chamber where a narrow passageway beckoned.
Aryan grabbed the gem, its warmth seeping into his palm, and they sprinted toward the passage. The cultists gave chase, their footsteps echoing through the chamber like the slithering of a thousand serpents.
The passage was tight and winding, barely wide enough for one person at a time. The walls closed in around them, the air thick and suffocating. But they pressed on, their only thought to escape the Serpent's Call and survive.
As they emerged from the passage into the cool night air, Aryan turned to seal the entrance, jamming a piece of rubble into the mechanism. The cultists pounded on the other side, their hisses growing more frantic as they realized they had been trapped.
"Let's go," Priya said, pulling Aryan away from the entrance. "We need to get as far from here as possible."
They ran through the desert, the temple shrinking into the distance behind them. The stars above were cold and distant, offering little comfort as they fled into the unknown. Aryan could still feel the weight of the Naga's Eye in his hand, its power both a blessing and a curse.
As they slowed to catch their breath, Priya looked at Aryan, her expression a mixture of relief and concern.
"We did it," she said, her voice shaky with adrenaline. "But this isn't over. The Serpent's Call won't stop until they have the Eye."
Aryan nodded, his mind racing. "We need to figure out what to do next. We can't let them get their hands on it."
Priya looked back at the distant horizon, where the temple lay hidden in the sands. "There's more to this than we realize. The Naga's Eye is powerful, but it's also dangerous. We need to find out exactly what we're dealing with—and fast."
As they continued their journey through the desert, Aryan couldn't shake the feeling that they had only just begun to uncover the true extent of the danger they faced. The Serpent's Call was relentless, and the power of the Naga's Eye was still a mystery.
But one thing was clear—they couldn't let it fall into the wrong hands.