The echo of temple bells filled the grand hall as the Kotharis knelt in prayer. The air trembled with the faint chant of mantras, the flickering diyas painting wavering shadows across anxious faces.
Charvi pressed her palms together, her eyes shut tight… when suddenly, a flash of blinding light seared through her mind.
She gasped.
In her vision — the magical cage shuddered violently, thin cracks spreading like veins of lightning across its watery surface.
Her eyes snapped open, her heartbeat loud in her ears.
"No…" she whispered, stepping back. "The cage— it's breaking!"
Before anyone could question her, Charvi sprinted toward the main hall. The rest followed in alarm, their prayers forgotten.
The moment she crossed the threshold of the temple room, she froze — the faint shimmer of the magical cage was now visible even from afar. Thin red fissures pulsed through it, glowing like embers ready to burst.
"Look!" she cried. "It's happening!"
The family gathered near the courtyard railing, fear tightening their throats.
Urvashi's voice trembled as she clutched Shyom's arm.
"Oh god… we'll all die! They'll eat us raw—"
"Ma, stop!" Yug tried to calm her, holding her shoulders. "Nothing will happen, please—"
Raani joined in, her own voice shaking. "Mummy, please don't say that!"
But Veer only stood at the edge of the hall, his lips curling into a sinister smile as he watched the cracks deepen. His dark eyes gleamed with secret satisfaction.
(Perfect… soon the walkers will rise again.)
Sharda's voice cut through the chaos — strong and commanding.
"Enough!" she said, wiping her tears firmly. "Gauri and Vihaan have gone to face death itself to save us. We cannot fall apart before they return!"
Veena stepped beside her, nodding fiercely. "She's right. This isn't the first storm we've faced. If we could stand against Sarp Daayan Kamini, the Queen of Dark Force herself, we can face this too!"
Her words steadied the air. Even Urvashi went silent, trembling but listening.
Shyom held her close. "Veena is right. We'll stay together. No one is dying tonight."
Just then, the cage emitted a sharp crack! — a thin arc of magic shot through the hall, shaking the chandeliers.
Sharda turned swiftly to Yug. "Come with me!"
Yug blinked. "Where, Ma?"
She didn't answer, already rushing toward the staircase with purpose in her stride. "There's something we can still do!"
Yug hurried after her, and as they disappeared upstairs, Veer's eyes followed them coldly.
(What are you planning now, Mother?) he thought darkly. (Whatever it is… it won't stop what's coming.)
The cracks on the cage pulsed brighter — the sound of breaking magic filling the mansion like a ticking clock of doom.
The car screeched to a stop at the edge of the forest. Mist clung to the trees like ghostly fingers, and the air hung thick with the scent of damp earth and danger.
Vihaan stepped out first, scanning the dark expanse ahead. The forest was unnaturally still — not a single sound of insects, not even the whisper of wind.
"Stay close," he murmured.
Gauri nodded, glancing around nervously. As they began walking deeper into the woods, she pulled out her phone, her screen dimly lighting her face.
Vihaan frowned and gently tapped her arm. "What are you doing?"
"Researching," Gauri said, her voice low.
"Researching?"
"Yes," she replied, scrolling quickly. "I'm finding out about Raktabeej."
Vihaan raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Gauri shot him a look. "What do you mean why? I'm not neighbors with Raktabeej that I'd know everything about him. We're definitely going to face him — we need to be prepared!"
Vihaan couldn't help a small smile. "Don't you know his story?"
Gauri scratched her head sheepishly. "Life wasn't exactly easy for me and Charvi growing up, so we didn't get much time for storytelling, okay?"
Vihaan's expression softened. "Then I'll tell you — but we keep walking."
"Wait," Gauri interrupted, glancing around the dark forest. "If we keep talking, won't we alert Raktabeej?"
Vihaan smirked faintly. "And if we stop walking, he'll still hear us. So either way, he knows."
Gauri sighed. "True."
Vihaan's eyes glowed faintly with determination. "I'm not scared to face him. It's better to get it done."
They continued through the shadowed path, their footsteps crunching softly over fallen leaves. Strange whispers echoed through the trees — or perhaps it was just the wind pretending to be alive.
---
Back at the Kothari mansion, dread hung thick in the air. The family huddled together in the hall, eyes glued to the glowing barrier that shimmered with cracks.
Only Sharda and Yug were missing — still somewhere upstairs.
The cage pulsed once… then again.
A hairline fracture widened across its center, releasing a faint hiss of magic. Veer's eyes gleamed with quiet triumph as he stood behind the others.
And then —
CRACK!
The sound thundered through the hall. The entire cage shattered into shards of red light that scattered like glass before dissolving into thin air.
Everyone froze in horror.
The silence that followed was deafening… until the first low growl echoed from the courtyard.
The walkers were free.
---
To be continued…