At the chawl
Gauri covers Charvi with a blanket. Once she was asleep, she turned her attention to the clothes she had undressed and packed them to put in the dirty clothes hamper.
As she was about to toss the saree into the hamper, her fingers brushed against something hard. She pulled it out and found Vihaan's silver bracelet tangled at the end of her saree.
Gauri's eyes widened in surprise. "This is Vihaan's bracelet," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She stood there, torn about what to do next. She didn't want to keep the bracelet, but she was hesitant to return it to Vihaan's house. The memory of his harsh words still stung, and she dreaded facing his family, fearing humiliation.
Her thoughts drifted back to their earlier encounter. Vihaan had been extremely rude to her, his words cutting deep. But despite his harsh demeanor, he had saved her life, and that counted for something.
She looked at the bracelet again, turning it over in her hand. This must mean something to him, she thought. It's not just a simple trinket.
With a newfound determination, Gauri decided to return the bracelet to Vihaan. She would find a way to get it back to him, no matter what.
Vihaan pushed open the door and stepped into the Rajput mansion, his eyes scanning the room for his family. They were all seated in the living area, their faces etched with worry.
As soon as they saw him, Veena's face lit up with relief. She rushed toward him, arms open wide. "Vihaan!" she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.
Vihaan smiled faintly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He opened his arms, ready to envelop his mother in a hug.
But just as they were about to meet, a blinding flash of red light burst through the window, illuminating the darkening sky. The light seemed to emanate from the moon itself, hurtling toward Vihaan with otherworldly speed.
The room fell silent in horror as the red magic struck Vihaan with incredible force. He stumbled, his knees buckling beneath him, and crashed to the floor.
Yug and Raani, who had just come downstairs, screamed in unison. "Bhaiya!!" they shouted, rushing toward Vihaan's fallen form.
Veena's face went pale, eyes wide with terror. "Vihaan!" she cried, dropping to her knees beside her son. "My son!"
Vihaan's body began to contort, his limbs twisting and elongating. His feet reversed, the soles facing backward as his toes curled into grotesque, claw-like shapes.
His eyes turned a deep, fiery red, the veins bulging beneath his skin like dark, twisted rivers. His nails grew long and curved, sharpening into razor-like claws.
Veena, Dadi, Urvashi, Shyom, Yug, and Raani watched in horror as Vihaan's transformation accelerated. His face remained human, but his eyes and body seemed to belong to a monster.
"No...no...this can't be happening!" Veena screamed, her voice shrill with terror.
Dadi stumbled backward, her eyes wide with shock. "Sarvansh…he's turning into a Sarvansh!" she exclaimed.
Urvashi covered her mouth, frozen on Vihaan's transforming body. Shyom stumbled to his feet, face pale with fear.
Yug and Raani clung to each other, eyes fixed on their brother's monstrous form. "What's happening to Bhaiya?" they exclaimed, voices trembling.
Veena, desperate to save her son, rushed to the nearby altar and grabbed a sacred trishul. She held it up, eyes closed in prayer, and rushed toward Vihaan.
"Vihaan, my son, come back to me!" she exclaimed, voice trembling.
As she approached, she held out the trishul, ready to place it on his forehead. But Vihaan, eyes blazing with otherworldly energy, suddenly lurched forward.
With a snarl, he grabbed the nearby sofa and hurled it at Veena. She barely had time to react, bending just in time to avoid being hit. The sofa crashed to the floor, inches from her head.
Veena's eyes widened in shock as she stared at Vihaan, heart heavy with fear. Her son, the man she loved, was no longer in control. The Sarvansh had taken over.
Vihaan stood tall, eyes gleaming with power, raising his arms. "I am Sarvansh Raj, King of the Dark Ones!" he declared, words dripping with malevolence.
The room fell silent, with Veena, Dadi, Urvashi, Shyom, Yug, and Raani staring at him in shock and horror. The man they knew was gone, replaced by a dark, powerful entity.
Vihaan raised his hand, a blast of dark magic shooting out, sending everyone crashing to the ground. Screams and groans filled the room as the family struggled to get back on their feet.
He stood tall, eyes gleaming with dark power, master of the dark arts. No one could stand in his way.
Veena, despite her fear, summoned the courage to confront her son. She took a step forward, eyes locked on his, shouting, "No, you are not! You are just my son, Vihaan, my dear son!"
Vihaan's eyes flashed with anger, raising his hand to attack Veena. But as he looked into her eyes, something within him stirred. He hesitated, hand trembling with conflicting desires.