At the Kothari Mansion — The Rise of Makasuur
"Check every tap!" Sharda shouted, her voice trembling yet commanding. "Not a single drop of water should flow in this house!"
Everyone scattered across the hallways — turning handles, sealing pipes, and closing faucets. The air was thick with dread, every creak echoing like a warning.
Suddenly — splash!
A loud noise made everyone turn. A jug toppled from the dining table, spilling water across the floor.
"Don't move!" Gauri cried.
Sharda's heart raced. Without a moment's hesitation, she smashed the jug into pieces with a nearby vase. The water soaked into the carpet, fizzing faintly as if reacting to an unseen presence.
Gauri's voice trembled as she said, "He can travel through anything connected to water… taps, showers, vessels—anything."
Before anyone could react, the bathroom door creaked open. Shyom stepped out casually, toweling his hair. "Why's everyone shouting? I just took a bath—"
He froze at their horrified expressions. A sinister gurgle echoed from behind him. The bathroom tiles began to crack, the mirror fogging up with a cold mist. From within the drain, a glowing red light pulsed.
And then — Makasuur rose.
A monstrous figure of wet scales and black sludge, his eyes burning like molten fire. "My… treasure…" he hissed, his voice rumbling through the mansion walls.
Panic erupted. The family screamed and scattered. Veena clutched Sharda's arm, trying to pull her away, but Sharda stumbled — falling hard onto the wet floor.
Makasuur raised his dripping claw, ready to strike.
"Wait!" Gauri shouted. Her voice cut through the chaos. "Your treasure is with me!"
The creature froze, turning toward her with a growl that made the lights flicker. Sharda gasped, realizing Gauri had deliberately drawn his attention.
Makasuur's glowing eyes locked onto Gauri as she took slow, deliberate steps backward. "Come for me if you dare," she whispered. Then she ran — leading the beast away from the others.
---
In the Dayan Realm — The Trikaal Sabha
At that same moment, Mohini stood in the center of the blazing chamber, her lips curved into a knowing smile. Around her, the other Dayans hissed and swayed, their hair lifting like dark smoke.
"The Agni Talwar," she announced, holding aloft the fiery blade she had forged from Kesar's stolen essence, "will end the Jalpanchi's curse once and for all. Fire will consume the water bird."
One of the elder Dayans hissed skeptically. "But Sarvansh loves the Jalpanchi… doesn't he?"
Mohini smirked, her voice laced with venomous confidence. "Love?" she scoffed. "Sarvansh's heart is a cage of fire. I locked Vihaan's emotions in the Maan Kalash myself. He will not hesitate to kill her. His weakness is no longer love… it is confusion. And confusion," her smile widened, "is the sweetest path to destruction."
---
Back at the Mansion — The Shower Scene
Gauri burst into Vihaan's room, panting, her dupatta clinging to her from sweat and fear. "Makasuur is coming—Vihaan, please, I need your help!"
Vihaan, sitting calmly near the window, didn't look up. His eyes gleamed with Sarvansh's cold fire. "You're the one who angered him. Handle your mess."
Gauri's jaw tightened. "Fine," she said, stepping closer. "If you won't help me, I'll tell him you have his treasure. Let's see if you can handle that."
That made him look at her — sharply.
Outside, Makasuur's footsteps shook the mansion. His growl echoed through the vents.
Vihaan's nostrils flared. "You wouldn't dare."
"Watch me," she whispered.
Suddenly, the sound of dripping water filled the silence — drip… drip… drip…
They both looked up. Without realizing it, they had stepped under the bathroom's shower. The knob twisted slightly, and a spray of cool water rained down over them.
The moment froze — two rivals, two souls bound by destiny — standing beneath falling droplets that shimmered like silver threads in the dim light.
"You still believe in love?" Vihaan murmured, his voice mocking but his eyes uncertain.
"Yes," Gauri said softly. "Because love isn't weakness, Vihaan. It's what keeps us human."
He stepped closer, his tone lower. "And what if I'm not human anymore?"
She smiled faintly, her wet hair plastered to her face. "Then maybe that's why I'll keep reminding you what it means to be one."
Before he could speak, she pulled him close — her hand against his chest, her lips inches from his. The air between them thickened, hearts beating faster. He froze — caught between Sarvansh's rage and Vihaan's buried tenderness.
Their lips nearly met—
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Makasuur's furious pounding on the door shattered the fragile moment.
Inside Vihaan's head, Sarvansh's thoughts thundered: How? Mohini sealed my heart within the Kalash. Then why… why do I feel this pull toward her?
He clenched his fists, furious at himself. Is Sarvansh falling for Gauri instead of Vihaan? The thought sent a jolt of fear through him.
"Return the treasure before he breaks in!" Vihaan ordered.
But Gauri's eyes glimmered with cunning. "If I do… then you'll have to admit you were the one who stole it."
His expression darkened. "Gauri—"
"Fine I took the maan kalash,happy!"
"You already said it," she whispered, secretly pressing her phone's record button behind her back. "And I have proof."
The door burst inward — CRASH!
Makasuur lunged, but Vihaan raised his hand, conjuring an illusion. "Here!" he shouted, tossing a fake Kalash glowing with false light.
The monster snatched it and vanished into smoke with a roar that shook the house.
Gauri exhaled, trembling. Vihaan collapsed to the floor, exhausted.
But as she turned to leave, his eyes followed her — confusion, longing, and a flicker of something dangerously close to… fear.
And far away, in her blazing throne, Mohini smiled.
"The game," she whispered, "has only begun."