The chandeliers flickered wildly as the Walkers began moving again, their blackened eyes locked on the family.
Their footsteps echoed in unison — slow, heavy, and terrifyingly calm — as if death itself had found rhythm in their movement.
The Kotharis backed away, huddling near the temple corner of the grand hall. The air reeked of decay and fear.
"Vihaan…" Gauri whispered, her voice barely audible.
He looked at her — and in that single glance, they both understood.
Gauri stepped forward, her expression transforming from fear to fierce determination. The golden glow of the diyas reflected off her tear-streaked face as she raised her hands toward the advancing Walkers.
Her voice rang through the hall like a divine bell—
"Jai Devi Maa!"
A radiant blue aura erupted from her palms, swirling and forming a torrent of shimmering water. The gush burst outward, slamming into the Walkers, surrounding them in a circling stream that shimmered like liquid light.
The possessed guests thrashed and wailed within the flow, their black eyes burning through the watery veil.
Vihaan's eyes glowed crimson as he stepped beside her, extending his hands.
"Let's finish this together."
He channeled his magic into her stream — crimson energy merging with azure water.
In an instant, the flowing water solidified into a glowing magical cage, its surface rippling like living glass.
The Walkers were trapped within, pounding against the watery barrier with inhuman strength.
For a brief moment, the hall was filled with light — the divine blue of Gauri and the searing red of Vihaan blending into brilliance.
Then Vihaan's voice cut through the heavy air, steady but tense.
"This cage won't hold for long. Their energy… it's resisting magic. We have to find another way."
From the back, Sharda stepped forward, her face pale but determined.
"Pratham Vanshi!" she said urgently. "If anyone knows what this dark power is — it's her. You two must go find her!"
Gauri nodded. "You're right, Maa. Only she can help us stop this before it spreads."
Vihaan turned to the family. "Stay inside. Don't go near them. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Veer, standing slightly apart, masked his dark satisfaction with false concern. "I'll stay here with Charvi and Yug. We'll protect everyone."
Veena quickly added, "Be careful! If these… these people are possessed, they're outside too!"
Vihaan gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Maa. We'll be fine."
As the family held their breath, Vihaan and Gauri approached the grand door.
The once-festive entrance was now cracked, black mist pressing faintly against it from outside.
Vihaan looked back one last time. "Lock it behind us."
Veena nodded, trembling.
The door creaked open — and immediately, cold air and faint whispers rushed in.
Beyond the threshold, the courtyard was veiled in eerie mist, the silhouettes of Walkers staggering between the extinguished diyas.
Vihaan reached for Gauri's hand. "Ready?"
Gauri nodded, her fingers tightening around his. "Always."
The moment they stepped out, the Walkers turned — their heads snapping toward them, mouths gaping in silent screams — and began running.
"Run!" Gauri shouted.
But Vihaan's eyes burned crimson again. "No. Jump!"
He pulled her close, channeling his magic beneath their feet. In one sweeping motion, a surge of force lifted them — both leaping high across the charging Walkers, their figures cutting through the fog like streaks of light.
They landed on the gravel near the driveway, breathless but unhurt.
Vihaan quickly opened the car door, ushering Gauri inside. "Get in!"
The moment the doors slammed shut, the windows were filled with pounding hands — Walkers slamming against the car, faces twisted and lifeless.
"Vihaan, hurry!" Gauri gasped.
The engine roared to life. Vihaan hit the accelerator, tires screeching as the car shot forward, breaking through the fog.
The mansion's golden glow faded behind them — swallowed by darkness and the sound of distant, hollow screams.
As the car sped into the night, Gauri looked back one last time — the reflection of the mansion flickering in her tearful eyes.
"We'll be back," she whispered. "And we'll end this."
As Vihaan and Gauri's car disappeared into the fog beyond the mansion gates, the grand hall fell into uneasy silence.
The golden light of the diyas now flickered weakly, fighting against the shadows that pressed closer with every passing second.
Inside the shimmering magical cage, the trapped Walkers clawed and thrashed, their lifeless eyes burning through the liquid barrier. Each strike echoed like a heartbeat — dull, steady, and unrelenting.
Sharda turned toward the family, her voice trembling but firm.
"We must pray," she urged. "Only the Almighty can protect us now."
Dadi nodded instantly, her hands trembling as she joined her palms. "Yes… yes, beta. The divine light will keep the darkness away."
One by one, the family gathered near the temple corner — Dadi, Veena,Shyom, Urvashi ,Sharda, Charvi, Raani, and Yug. The flicker of the sacred lamp illuminated their faces as they began to chant softly.
The air filled with the rhythm of prayer — the sounds of faith and desperation intertwining.
"Om Jai Ambe Gauri…"
Their voices rose and fell like waves, the sound echoing through the once-festive hall.
But amidst the chanting, Veer stood apart.
He neither moved nor joined.
He watched them from a distance, the golden glow of the diyas painting his face in uneven light. His lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk.
"Pray all you want," he murmured under his breath, his tone low and poisonous. "No amount of devotion can save you from what's already begun."
His gaze shifted toward the magical cage shimmering at the center of the hall. The trapped Walkers still writhed inside, pressing harder against the barrier as if sensing something… or someone helping them.
Veer raised his hand slightly — his palm glowing with a faint pulse of dark violet light. Shadows rippled around his fingers like smoke.
"Let's test the strength of your magic, brother," he whispered with a sly glint in his eyes.
A spark leapt from his palm, invisible to the praying family, and struck the base of the water cage.
A faint crack echoed.
Barely noticeable — just a thin fracture along the glowing wall of water — but Veer's smile deepened.
He folded his arms, watching as the crack shimmered, spreading a fraction wider.
"Soon," he thought darkly. "This tiny fracture will grow… and when it does, your prayers will mean nothing."
Behind him, the family's chants grew louder — desperate, heartfelt, echoing with belief.
But Veer's shadow stretched longer across the floor, swallowing the light that touched it.
And inside the cage, one of the Walkers turned its head unnaturally — its black eyes staring straight at Veer.
As if recognizing its master.