The great hall trembled with the sound of rattling chains.
The walkers — their eyes pitch black, their skin greyed like ash — pulled and twisted against the bindings, their strength unnatural. The metallic creaks echoed through the room like a haunting drumbeat.
Sharda's voice rang out, sharp with fear.
"These chains won't hold them for long!"
The family huddled closer, panic flashing across every face. Veena gripped Dadi's arm protectively, while Urvashi whispered frantic prayers under her breath. The air itself felt heavy — thick with the scent of metal, sweat, and something darker.
Then — a sudden flash of white at the window.
Charvi turned sharply. A radiant bird — feathers shimmering with pale light — fluttered in from the courtyard. Its presence was almost divine, a soothing contrast to the chaos. It landed gently before her, its eyes glowing with a familiar warmth.
Charvi's lips parted in awe. "Nani…" she whispered.
Everyone turned toward her as the bird let out a soft cry. Charvi reached out, cupping it in her palms. The moment her fingers brushed its feathers, her eyes fluttered closed — her consciousness slipping into a vision.
In the vision, Pratham Vanshi appeared — draped in a silvery aura, her expression grave but calm.
Her voice echoed in Charvi's mind:
"My child, listen carefully. You must create a protective circle to shield the family from the walkers' aura. Use the purest items of the earth — vermillion for strength, rice and lentils for abundance, salt for cleansing, and water for purity. Work fast, for the dead will soon break free."
The vision faded, and the white bird dissolved into a cloud of glowing dust, disappearing into Charvi's hands.
Charvi gasped, opening her eyes. "I know what to do!" she exclaimed, turning toward the others.
"What do you mean?" Veena asked anxiously.
"It's a message from Nani — Pratham Vanshi," Charvi said quickly. "We can protect ourselves by creating a magical circle! I'll need vermillion, rice, lentils, and salt — fast!"
She rushed toward the cupboard where the vermillion was kept.
"Yug, Raani — go get the rest!" she shouted. "There's no time!"
Yug and Raani immediately dashed toward the kitchen and storeroom, while Charvi snatched the vermillion box, her hands trembling but determined.
Behind them, the chains shuddered violently — one link snapping loose with a sharp clang.
Sharda glanced back in horror.
"Charvi, hurry!"
Charvi nodded, already kneeling to draw the first sacred circle on the marble floor, her crimson-stained fingers moving fast, chanting softly under her breath as the battle for survival continued to close in around them.
The forest roared with ancient winds, branches bending as if recoiling from the dark presence that had descended. The air was thick — alive with an unholy pulse.
Raktbeej towered before them, his body glistening like molten coal, his eyes burning with crimson rage. Each breath he exhaled carried the scent of blood and fire.
"Mortals," he growled, his voice vibrating through the earth. "You dare strike me?"
Gauri and Vihaan exchanged a quick, wordless glance — the kind only two souls bound by fate could share. And then — they moved.
Their palms flared with magic.
Crimson light swirled from Vihaan's hands, colliding with the silvery-blue energy radiating from Gauri's ring. The two streams of power twisted into a glowing spiral — merging fire and frost — and shot toward Raktbeej with a deafening roar.
The explosion shook the ground. Trees splintered. The shockwave rippled through the forest.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed they had struck him down — but Raktbeej only laughed, a deep, guttural sound that echoed through the mist.
"You think the blood-born can be defeated so easily?"
With one sweeping motion of his hand, a surge of dark energy erupted outward. The blast threw them both apart — Gauri crashing into the roots of an ancient tree, her shoulder scraping against bark, while Vihaan dropped to his knees, his magic aura flickering weakly.
"Vihaan!" Gauri gasped, trying to rise.
Raktbeej sneered, his jagged nails elongating into blackened blades that gleamed under the faint moonlight.
"Your bond is your weakness."
He raised his hand — and in one swift motion, hurled his deadly nails toward Gauri.
The air hissed. The nails sliced through the mist, spiraling straight for her.
Before she could react —
Vihaan was already moving.
In a blur of speed, he leapt in front of her, his body shielding hers just as the nails tore through the air. They struck him across the chest — the sound sharp, sickening.
"Vihaan!" Gauri screamed, her voice breaking as he stumbled backward, crimson seeping through his shirt.
He gasped, the pain searing, but even through the agony, his gaze remained steady — fixed on her. "Stay… behind me," he managed, his voice low but fierce.
Raktbeej's grin widened, his monstrous form pulsing with malevolent delight.
"Your love will be your doom."
The wind howled, and the trees seemed to shiver — the forest itself bearing witness to the battle between devotion and darkness.
Gauri clenched her fists, her tears falling onto the soil that glowed faintly where Vihaan's blood touched it.
Her voice trembled — not with fear, but fury.
"No, Raktbeej… his love is my strength."
Her ring flared to life once more — brighter than before, its glow spreading like ripples of divine fire.