Suddenly, there was a horrible noise, and the sound began to come from a wall on one side inside.
Hridoy: "What was that noise?"
Anil: "That was the sound of the monsters."
Hridoy: "What do we do now?"
Nila: "What do you mean, 'what do we do'? Give me your hand."
Hridoy: "Why?"
Nila: "Because I'm telling you to."Then she grabbed my hand and used a small knife to cut it — blood flowed quietly.
Hridoy: "Ahhhh… what is this? Why did you cut my hand?!"
Anil pointed his weapon at Nila.
Nila: "There was no other way. This wall won't open without human blood."
Hridoy: "You chose my blood?"
Nila: "Don't argue. Put your hand on the wall. If you delay, you'll lose too much blood and could die."
Hridoy: "Anil, control yourself. It's nothing…"I pressed my blood-smeared hand against the wall — it split into two, opening into a passage.
Nila: "Now give me the hand."
Hridoy: "Are you going to cut it again?"
Nila: "No, just give it."
Hridoy: "Fine. Take it."
Nila tore a strip from her shirt and wrapped my hand. There was real tenderness in her — and a strange air about her. I couldn't tell what she would do next.
Nila: "Come on, this opening won't stay open long."
Anil: "Yes, let's go."
Anil and I walked ahead, Nila behind us.
Anil: "Sir, I really don't trust this girl."
Hridoy: "Why?"
Anil: "Can't you see how strange she is? She knows too much about all this. Where did she learn it? She could cause trouble later."
Hridoy: "Maybe. But since she knows so much, she can help us. And she's half-fairy — she can protect us in danger. Besides, she shoots arrows beautifully."
Anil: "I saw that."
Hridoy: "We should keep our destination secret from her. Once she gets her share, she'll go her way — we'll go ours."
Anil: "Right."
Hridoy: "And don't say anything aloud. She might overhear."
Anil: "Yeah… let's go into the monsters' world."
Nila: "I didn't know such beautiful things existed in the monsters' world."
Hridoy: "Why didn't you come before?"
Nila: "No."
Hridoy: "Then how do you know so much?"
Nila: "I told you. My mother came here once. From her I learned what to do and where to go."
Hridoy: "Ohhh…"
Nila: "But you must be careful. The monsters here don't allow humans to enter. If they realize you're human, they'll kill you."
Anil: "You don't need to worry about that. We already got permission beforehand to enter the monsters' world."
Nila: "How did you do that?"
Hridoy: "Somehow we did."
Nila: "Well then, what else is there to say—let's go."
Hridoy: "Mm-hmm, let's go."
We entered the realm of the monsters. It's incredibly beautiful. But everything here is thirty times bigger than us. I heard they used to be even larger, but like us, they've grown smaller now — and their lifespans shorter.
Anyway, we need to go to the lockmaker monster. Only his family can make this kind of lock. We approached his home. The king had sent a carriage earlier — he had already spoken with us long ago. We just hadn't met because of Nila.
Nila: "This carriage looks like it's from the royal palace — that's why the monsters are treating us like royal guests."
Hridoy: "Mm-hmm."
Nila: "Are you perhaps members of the king's court?"
Anil: "Oh no."
Nila: "Don't try to fool me."
Hridoy: "You're the real fool. You were the one who took Anil into the lower world's war chamber that day. Anil was looking for that design. And he received a message from the sky-people with the king's seal — saying three from our kingdom would come here for a task and you must help them."
Nila: "See? That's what I said. They don't help anyone except people from the king's court — that's why they're helping us."
Anil & Hridoy: laugh softly
Driver Monster: "Here we are at your destination."
Hridoy: "Mm-hmm, thank you. But it would be better if you let us down from this huge carriage a bit more quickly."
Monster: "I'll set you down."
The monster set us down. We arrived at the lockmaker's house — a towering building reaching beyond sight. We knocked loudly.
Monster: "Who's calling me?"
Anil: "We are."
Monster: "What? Three human children here? Such courage…"
Anil: "We're not human children. You must have sensed our message."
Monster: "Oh, so you've come from Jalpuri."
Hridoy: "Yes."
Monster: "Come in, sit. I won't speak much. These matters must be kept secret. If other monsters hear you came to open the lock of Harkimus' treasure map, none of you will leave here alive."
Hridoy: "Please open the map for us quickly."
Monster: "Yes… but you must answer my three questions if you want the lock opened."
Hridoy: "What kind of demand is that?"
Monster: "These aren't my rules. They were Harkimus' orders, passed down from my ancestors."
Hridoy: "All right, ask your questions."
Monster: "First: How many places are there on Earth where the Moon's gravity creates partial gravitational pull?"
Hridoy: "What kind of question is that… I've never heard of such a thing."
Monster: "Second: How did Harkimus go from being human to becoming a cosmic king?"
Hridoy: "Anil can answer that."
Anil: "Sorry, sir… that answer is unknown to everyone."
Hridoy: "All right, what's the last question?"
Monster: "Among humans there are two classes of people. Who are they?"
Hridoy: "I don't know two of these answers — one concerns the Earth, another concerns King Harkimus… but I can answer the one about humans."
Monster: "Place your hand on the map. If you can answer any two questions, the lock will open."
Hridoy: "Thank you."
Suddenly, there was a knock. The monster looked through the peephole.
Monster: "Soldiers of the lower realm are outside."
Nila: "That means they've realized we're here. We have to get out!"
Monster: "Don't worry. Go through this door — you'll reach the human world. And if you can answer the next two questions, the lock will open."
Anil: "Thank you so much for helping us."
We passed through the door and kept walking until another door appeared. We entered a library.
Nila: "Since we're here, we'll find the answers here."
Hridoy: "We just need books about Earth… A place similar to the Moon?"
We searched many books — nothing useful.Still, I tried placing my hand on the map.
Hridoy: "There are two kinds of people… Yes. One: those obsessed with power — they will do anything to rise higher. Two: those who only think about themselves — they won't help others even when someone close is in danger."
Nila: "Look — a lock has opened! That means the answer was correct."
Anil: "I knew it!"
Hridoy: "Now… the place Harkimus loved most… A place like the Moon… Yes — the Underworld. That's where he performed his sacrifices."
Anil: "Then that must be the answer."
Hridoy: "Yes — a place like the Moon is the Underworld."