At the Kothari mansion, the next morning, Vihaan readied himself to leave. He stood by the threshold, determination etched on his face. Turning to Veena, who lay weak but watchful, he vowed,
"Maa, I won't rest until I find Pratham Vanshi. She'll have the answer. I'll bring her here to save you."
Veena's lips trembled into a faint smile as she touched his cheek. "Go, beta. My life rests in your hands now."
Just as Vihaan stepped out, the massive wooden doors creaked open by themselves. The household air shifted—suddenly heavy, charged with an unearthly presence.
A saffron-clad, frail old woman entered, leaning on her staff. Her forehead was marked with sacred ash, and her gaze burned with timeless wisdom.
"Pratham Vanshi…" Dadi breathed, folding her hands in reverence. Yug and Raani immediately lowered their heads, their eyes wide with awe.
Vihaan froze in place, realizing he didn't need to search—Pratham Vanshi had come to them.
Her sandals tapped softly against the marble floor as she walked into the mansion. Without a word, her eyes swept the family before finally settling on Veena.
Her expression hardened. She stepped closer, and the trishul in the temple trembled as if bowing to her presence.
She raised her staff, her voice echoing through the hall,
"The witch's mark still festers within you, Veena. The poison of darkness has not left your veins. If it is not cleansed, it will consume your life."
Veena shivered, clutching her wrist as the demonic tattoo faintly glowed.
Vihaan stepped forward, panic in his voice. "Pratham Vanshi… tell us what we must do to save her. Please!"
The old woman's eyes softened briefly, but then her tone turned grave and absolute:
"Neither mantras, nor medicines, nor the strength of warriors can save her now."
Everyone froze, the words sinking into their bones.
Pratham Vanshi looked toward the heavens before declaring:
"Only one can break this curse—the God-send Jalpanchi, born of water and divine light. If you wish to save Veena, you must seek her… before it is too late."
Gasps filled the room. Veena's breath hitched, and Dadi's tears spilled freely. Yug whispered, "A jalpanchi… God-send?"
Vihaan's fists tightened, his resolve burning through the fear. He stepped closer to Pratham Vanshi, his voice steady but fierce.
"Then tell me where I can find this Jalpanchi. I'll move heaven and earth if I must… but I will bring her here to save my mother."
Pratham Vanshi's piercing eyes lingered on him for a long, silent moment before she finally spoke:
"The path to her is perilous, guarded by secrets men were never meant to uncover. But only she… only the Jalpanchi can cleanse the witch's curse from Veena's soul."
The atmosphere inside the Kothari mansion grew heavier as Pratham Vanshi's words echoed.
She turned her piercing gaze to Vihaan. "Child, to save not just your mother, but your family—and even yourself—from the darkness that has marked you, you must do more than seek the Jalpanchi. You must marry her. Only through this sacred bond will her divine power be able to protect you all."
Gasps rippled through the family. Veena's lips trembled as she clutched her chest, whispering weakly, "Marry… the Jalpanchi?"
Without hesitation, Vihaan stepped forward, his jaw set with resolve. "For my family, for Maa, I can do anything—even if it means marrying a stranger chosen by destiny. If marriage is the price, I will pay it."
Pratham Vanshi's eyes suddenly gleamed, her wrinkled face breaking into a rare spark of excitement. She lifted her staff, and her voice rang with certainty.
"I've received a sign. A sign that the Jalpanchi's presence is near."
The room fell into stunned silence. Everyone turned to her with widened eyes, the name hanging like thunder in the air.
"What?" Veena's voice was faint, almost inaudible, her face paling with shock.
Pratham Vanshi nodded with calm finality. "Yes. In fact, the Jalpanchi has been in this house before."
A collective gasp echoed through the mansion. Dadi clutched her prayer beads tightly, her lips quivering as she muttered a mantra under her breath.
Pratham Vanshi's gaze swept over everyone before locking onto Vihaan. Slowly, deliberately, she walked toward him.
"You, Vihaan," she declared, her voice low and weighty, "have interacted with the Jalpanchi… unknowingly."
Vihaan's brows furrowed, his heart pounding in confusion. "When? How? Who is she truly?"
Pratham Vanshi raised her frail hands, her fingers glowing faintly with divine energy. A soft shimmer filled the air before coalescing into a small, radiant white orb that hovered gently above her palms.
"This," she said, her tone mystical and commanding, "is the remnant aura of the Jalpanchi. I have captured it from your past interaction with her."
The orb pulsed with a pure, magical energy, illuminating the room with a divine glow. Slowly, she extended it toward Vihaan.
"Follow this aura," Pratham Vanshi instructed. "It will guide you to the Jalpanchi's whereabouts. Only she—the God-send—can save Veena, and only she can bind your fate to light."
Vihaan accepted the glowing orb with reverence, determination burning in his eyes.
Veena, though weak, reached for his hand. "Go, beta," she urged softly, her voice filled with both fear and faith. "Take Yug with you. Find the Jalpanchi… before time runs out."
Vihaan glanced at Yug, and together, with the orb hovering before them, they prepared to set out on the path destiny had laid before them—toward the mysterious Jalpanchi.