The forest stretched endlessly, its silence broken only by the crunch of dry leaves under their feet. The moon peeked through the twisted branches, casting silver patterns on their faces as they walked deeper into the mist.
Gauri glanced at Vihaan. "Alright," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder. "Now tell me. Who exactly is this Raktabeej?"
Vihaan's eyes gleamed faintly crimson under the moonlight. "Raktabeej wasn't an ordinary being," he began, his voice carrying an ancient calm. "He was a warrior demon — born from the curse of a fallen goddess. His name literally means the seed of blood."
Gauri frowned. "Seed of blood?"
Vihaan nodded. "Because every time a drop of his blood touched the ground, another Raktabeej would rise — identical, powerful, and just as dangerous. The more you hurt him, the stronger his army became."
Gauri's eyes widened. "That's terrifying. Then how was he ever stopped?"
Vihaan looked ahead into the thick fog, his voice dropping low. "The gods were helpless. Even their mightiest weapons failed because his blood created thousands of clones. In the end, Goddess Kali took matters into her own hands. She fought him barehanded — and each time she wounded him, she drank his blood before it could spill onto the ground."
Gauri blinked. "That's… brutal."
Vihaan gave a small nod. "It was the only way. She absorbed his power, ended his cycle, and locked his spirit deep within the roots of a sacred mountain — the very one we're heading toward now."
A shiver ran through Gauri. "You mean… Raktabeej's spirit is in that mountain?"
"Yes," Vihaan said quietly. "And the bell we need to ring sits right above it. That's why Pratham Vanshi warned us. The forest around it is haunted — cursed by the remnants of his energy. The trees here… they've absorbed his rage for centuries."
Gauri glanced around uneasily, the branches swaying as if listening.
"Wonderful," she muttered under her breath. "So we're basically walking through a forest full of angry trees and ancient demon energy. Great plan, Vihaan."
Vihaan smirked slightly. "You wanted to be prepared, didn't you?"
Gauri shot him a look. "Prepared — not petrified."
He chuckled softly but then stopped abruptly, his smile fading. The air had shifted again — colder, heavier. The mist around them grew thicker, swirling in unnatural patterns.
Gauri's fingers brushed his arm. "Vihaan… did you hear that?"
Somewhere ahead, a low growl rumbled — guttural and ancient.
Vihaan's eyes narrowed. "Looks like we don't have to go looking for Raktabeej's curse…"
He glanced at her, his tone steady.
"It's already found us."
Chaos reigned inside the Kothari mansion. The once-grand hall, still strewn with half-burnt diyas and scattered marigolds, echoed with screams as the walkers advanced — their hollow eyes fixed on the terrified family.
"Run!" Shyom shouted, pulling Urvashi and Charvi toward the staircase. The family scattered, ducking behind pillars and overturned tables as the possessed guests stumbled forward in eerie unison.
Dadi stumbled, her frail legs giving out. She fell hard against the cold marble, gasping.
"Mummy ji!" Veena screamed, eyes wide with panic. She turned to Veer, who stood just a few steps away. "Veer! Help her! Go!"
But Veer froze. His expression flickered — guilt? calculation? No one could tell. The walkers were getting closer, their blackened eyes gleaming under the dying lights.
"Veer!" Veena cried again, desperate. But he still didn't move.
Before the walkers could reach Dadi, Charvi darted forward, skirts sweeping across the floor as she grabbed Dadi's hand. "Hold on, Dadi!" she pleaded.
Shyom rushed in from the other side, pulling them both back. The walkers lunged — their fingers inches away—
Clank!
Chains lashed through the air from both sides, gleaming silver under the flickering chandelier. They wrapped around the walkers' bodies, snapping tight with a metallic shriek.
Everyone froze.
From opposite directions stood Yug and Sharda — each gripping the end of a glowing chain, their faces fierce with determination.
"Yug!" Charvi gasped, relief flooding her voice.
"Hold them steady!" Sharda commanded, her eyes blazing with power. The chains trembled as the walkers struggled, growling like beasts trapped in a storm.
The family huddled together behind Veena, who helped Dadi to her feet, tears in her eyes. "Mummy ji, you're safe now," she whispered, clutching her tightly.
Yug's voice thundered through the hall. "These things won't touch my family!"
The golden chains burned brighter, forming a barrier between the Kotharis and the possessed crowd. For a moment, the mansion stilled — hope flickering like the last flame of a diya.
But behind the tension, Veer stood in the shadows, his lips curling into a faint, knowing smile.
Let them think they've won, he thought darkly. For now.