Note: I wrote this story in Spanish and published it elsewhere years ago. Enjoy it. Sorry for any spelling mistakes.
"Lady Lara Croft, the book you are looking for is not in our inventory, but I can tell you that an original version is in stock. In exchange for a commission, I can give you information about his whereabouts under strict confidentiality." Lara reads the email several times and although the amount required for "commission" is somewhat excessive, she agrees anyway and after executing the transfer of funds she receives a second email with the data of the location of the book in question, the city of Mumbai, India. "To Asia, the tickets," Lara thinks.
After checking into the hotel, examine a detailed map of the city. At first, she thought that this copy would be in the hands of a private collector, a millionaire or even a museum, however the direction leads her to a bustling and crowded street market where she manages to find the place that turns out to be an old building that has a small sign on the door, "Antiques" it reads. As she enter, a bell announces her presence and inside she can smell a soft aroma of incense. The site fascinates her as she notices an extensive collection of items of Indian origin and also from other parts of Asia, there are even some reduced trophy human heads among many other curiosities.
"Miss, is there anything that interests you?" an older man asks Lara, who must be about 70 years old or older, wearing a typical Hindu robe and sporting an abundant beard. "Thanks, but I'm actually looking for another item that I'm told you have in your possession." The man is surprised to hear it, "and what item would that be?", "a book or rather diary of a European explorer that I was told is in your possession". The man laughs kindly, "I'm afraid that item isn't for sale," Lara isn't discouraged, "I'm sure we can reach an agreement, money is no problem." With interest he looks at Lara, "ah you must be a millionaire who only seeks to add another item to your collection", "I actually look for the diary since I intend to investigate if what this explorer claims to have found is real or not", "and you are an explorer?", "and I am also an archaeologist", the old man remains silent as if he were thinking about something. "In that case miss, maybe we can reach an agreement" and gestures to Lara inviting her to take a seat while he puts a sign that says "closed" on the door.
Sitting at the table, Lara watches him. Soon he brings a teapot and pours her a cup of tea, "wow, Indian tea, my favorite", "then you must be from England, only an Englishman knows how to value good tea". After enjoying a cup, Lara asks him about this agreement that he proposes. Mahin, his name, responds by displaying on the table a very old map of India where an area enclosed in a red circle can be seen. "Before I tell you about this map, I'd like to know how you know about the explorer's journal." "My father, many years ago, had access to a copy of it, of course it is incomplete and not in good condition, several pages are missing but it mentions a series of ruins that do not correspond to any known culture, for the same reason I want to visit the area", "oh I see".
Lara examines the map in detail and notes that it is a representation of India before the arrival of Europeans in the area and the establishment of British rule, when the country was divided into various kingdoms and the like. "Excellent, I see that you are very well informed." "I don't think you're showing me this just to test my knowledge?", "Not really, what I want is for you to find something for me". Lara looks surprised and then Mahin pulls out another map of a particular area of the country. "For years I have researched and tracked down every piece of information and recently I was able to narrow down the search area to this area", "search for what?", "from a temple consecrated to the goddess Rati, I want you to find that temple for me and bring me some artifacts that the goddess gave to her reincarnation on Earth. Do so, and I'll give you the explorer's journal." "If you already know where to look, why don't you go yourself", "I'm already old and wouldn't last a day in the jungle, you are young, adventurous and full of energy, and according to legend only a woman can access them".
It wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but he has no choice. Mahin rejects any possibility of a financial settlement for the journal, so Lara accepts the deal and he gives her all the available information. "As soon as you bring me the artifacts, the diary will be all yours," he tells her, but Lara has one last question. "How did you come into possession of that copy?", "one of my ancestors was part of that expedition, he was actually the only survivor along with the explorer and they both wrote the book, so it became a family heirloom, several have tried to buy it, but I never wanted to part with it, until now".
Back at her hotel, Lara checks all the information she received. She also makes use of the extensive network of contacts he inherited from his father and acquires all the equipment he needs for the journey through the jungle as such an expedition was not in her plans. More importantly, it compares the data with its own information and thus manages to narrow down the search area, although it will still be several days in the jungle.
From a small village surrounded by rice plantations, Lara enters a remote area. A difficult trip due to the weather conditions and the presence of wild animals that roam the entire area. Fortunately, the information she gathered turned out to be quite accurate. She uses a series of geographical points as a reference as she moves through the thick vegetation, always attentive to his surroundings. It's almost a week's journey to a practically inaccessible area where the temple is supposed to be located.
From the morning, she is combing the area when it is almost dark and with the clouds threatening a storm, she arrives at the edge of a lagoon covered with thick vegetation. She takes some time to catch her breath and notices a small island with a building covered by trees and plants. From the air, such a place would be undetectable. Using the branches of the trees, cross until she reach the island and take a quick look at the building. "This is the temple," she says with relief as the first drops of rain begin to fall.
Through the vegetation she manages to find what seems to be the entrance and takes shelter in an antechamber now when the rain is unleashed with force. Set up a small camp and light a campfire while observing several sculptures and symbols at the site. Lara smiles mischievously, the sculptures depict men and women performing explicit sexual acts, which is not surprising at all when you consider that this is a temple consecrated to Rati, the Hindu goddess of sex, lust and sexual pleasure. Lara looks closely at the sculptures and thinks about which poses she has already tried and which ones she would like to try, in the end she shakes her head from such ideas, "I'd better focus on my work".
For several minutes she looks at the wall looking for an entrance to the interior of the temple, but despite her efforts nothing can be seen. The wall seems to be completely sealed and so she begins to look for some alternative entrance until a pause in the rain gives her a hand. When the clouds momentarily clear, the moonlight illuminates the wall and various symbols begin to become visible. "But of course, it's moonstone." She immediately translates them and takes several photographs of them. After translating the symbols, Lara has an expression of disbelief on her face and scratches her head, "it has to be a joke," she says aloud as she checks one end of the wall and finds a statue hidden among the vegetation. It's that of a man with his stone cock fully erect. Lara grabs the limb and pulls it down and the sound of a mechanism activating is heard. At the other end he finds another statue, this time female, with its legs spread. She inserts her fingers into her vagina and presses a button, activating the second part of the mechanism and the wall opens slightly.
With a great effort, Lara opens the entrance just enough to be able to pass. She lights up her flashlight and notices that the interior is relatively intact despite the years and the action of nature around. There are statues in various poses and murals which are still in good condition. All with a strong sexual content, "you can tell that they took the cult of Rati very seriously," she says. In addition to statues and murals, the interior of the temple is filled with pieces of gold and precious stones. Lara, however, doubts that this is what she was commissioned to do and continues to explore the interior until she finds a huge, richly decorated sarcophagus.
The discovery baffles her, since among all the information she was given, there was no indication of finding something like this. She examines it in detail and after reading the inscriptions realizes that it is the tomb of Anjali, a princess who lived in India centuries ago. She keeps moving inwards and one statue stands out above the others. It is life-size and shows a nude woman sitting on a kind of throne with her hands resting at her sides and her legs slightly apart. The level of detail is simply incredible and gives the impression of being alive. The color of her skin, the shape of her eyes and the color of their eyes, the proportions of her body all look real. "Anjali," Lara reads in an inscription. But what baffles her the most is that a large male member peeks out between her legs and when she approaches to look, she realizes that she also has female genitalia. With more questions than answers, she leaves the temple, it is dark, and she wants to rest a little after a long walk.
She returns to her camp in the antechamber. Use the thick vegetation to cover the entrance while the wind and rain are raging, but there is also a sweltering heat in the air. She fans the flames and takes off all her clothes, putting them out to dry as they are completely soaked and naked, she lies down on the makeshift bed she made for herself where next to her laptop she searches for Princess Anjali.