Gauri stumbled through the thick jungle, shadows twisting around her like living serpents. Every path seemed to loop back on itself, every clearing identical, and the faint pulse of the jal mani grew weaker as confusion clouded her senses. Panic nipped at her chest—time was slipping away.
She swallowed hard, forcing her racing heart to steady. Her eyes caught faint impressions in the dirt—footprints unmistakably Vihaan's. If I follow him… maybe I can reach the mani in time. Determination flared inside her, pushing her forward into the tangled darkness.
---
Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Vihaan's form shimmered within the Pratham Diya barrier, the darkness of Sarvansh coiling around him like smoke. His voice, soft and trembling with feigned despair, reached Veena's ears.
"Mom… you have to stop me," he whispered, carefully threading emotion into each word. "Before Sarvansh can harm Gauri… before it's too late… you're the only one who can save me."
Veena's hands flew to her face, tears springing to her eyes. "Vihaan… my son…"
"You must act," he said, voice breaking, eyes glinting with calculated sorrow. "If Sarvansh kills… Vihaan will vanish too. I… I need you… now."
Sharda stepped forward, her voice sharp and commanding. "Veena! Don't believe him! This isn't Vihaan—he's trapped, and this is Sarvansh manipulating your heart! Come with me!"
Veena hesitated, torn between love and fear. Sarvansh watched her every flicker of doubt, a shadow of frustration crossing his darkened features. His plan, for a moment, seemed to be failing.
Back in the Kothari mansion, Vihaan's figure shimmered behind the invisible Pratham Diya barrier. Sarvansh's darkness curled around him like smoke, but in his eyes, a fragile vulnerability flickered—calculated, yet achingly real.
Veena returns and stepped forward cautiously, her voice trembling. "Vihaan… is it really you? Please… tell me it's really you."
His gaze softened slightly, voice barely above a whisper, trembling with seeming fragility. "Mom… I don't know how much of me is left," he murmured. "Sarvansh… he's inside me now. I can feel him, and I can't stop him. If I lose control… Gauri… everyone… it will all be my fault."
Veena's heart tightened. "Vihaan… no… you wouldn't…"
He leaned toward her as much as the barrier allowed, his voice breaking, dripping with sorrow. "Mom… I need you. You're the only one who can stop me… before it's too late. If Sarvansh kills… I die too. And Gauri… she's in danger. I can't do this alone, please free me so I can help Gauri."
Tears streamed down Veena's face. "I… I just want to protect you… my baby…"
He let a faint quiver enter his words, a carefully placed vulnerability. "And yet… you'd sacrifice me? You'd let me fall, Mom… let him win? You loved me once… does that love still exist? Or am I already gone, please just free me before Gauri falls in danger?"
Veena shook, sobs wracking her body, torn between instinct and fear. The words pierced her heart—her maternal love mixed with terror for her son and Gauri. Unable to resist, she moved instinctively, extinguishing the Pratham Diya and brushing away the ashes, unknowingly dismantling the barrier that had restrained Sarvansh.
Vihaan's eyes gleamed through the shadow, calculating. The path was now clear—thanks to the mother who believed in the son she thought she saw, not the monster within.
The jungle air pulsed with energy as Gauri pressed forward, her senses straining against the dark, twisting paths. Every shadow seemed to shift around her, confusing her steps, but she held the Gangajal tightly, using it to trace the faint, lingering energy of the jal mani.
Finally, through the tangled roots and creeping fog, she spotted it—a soft glow atop a carved pedestal, the mani resting in a small box as if waiting for her. She dropped to her knees, folding her hands in reverence, feeling the pulse of Jalpanchi's power thrumming through the air.
A sudden rush of dark energy made her flinch. Vihaan appeared, his presence commanding, eyes sharp and unreadable. "Gauri… don't touch it," he warned, his voice low but urgent, carrying the weight of the darkness coiled within him.
Gauri met his gaze steadily. "I know the consequences," she said, her voice unwavering. "But it has to be done." She reached out, fingers brushing the glowing mani.
The forest seemed to shudder in response—but then, with a sharp, metallic crash, an enormous axe shot down from above, sealing their only exit. Light flickered across the pedestal as the magical trap activated. Gauri tried to attach the mani to herself, but it refused—her powers were trapped, the connection incomplete. Even Vihaan's immense abilities faltered under the enchantment.
"Gauri, keep it!" he urged, panic threading his voice. "It's the only way to clear our exit. Mohini designed this trap so no one could reach your powers—but if you hold onto it…"
Gauri shook her head fiercely. "No. I won't let you—" She hurled the mani outside the trap with a swift motion, sending it flying to safety, away from his reach.
Vihaan's eyes widened as he realized what she had done. The panic in his chest was almost visible, but in the corner of his gaze, he caught her resolve. She was fearless, determined, and unwilling to let the mani fall into anyone's hands—not even his.
For a moment, the forest was silent, the only sound the faint hum of the mani outside the trap. Both of them paused, caught between desperation and strategy, the tension of the moment crackling like lightning around them.