Screams tore through the Kothari mansion. Vihaan and Yug rushed downstairs, their eyes widening in horror at the sight before them.
Veena was hovering in the air, her body unnaturally rigid, her eyes glowing with a sickly, malevolent light. Her hair whipped wildly around her face as an unearthly shriek escaped her throat, chilling everyone to the bone.
Around her, furniture began to levitate and spin violently. Chairs, vases, and tables shot across the room like weapons.
A vase crashed against Urvashi's forehead, sending her sprawling to the ground with a cry as blood seeped down her temple. Vihaan's heart clenched, and he cried out, "Maa stop it!" before rushing forward, trying to shield her from further harm.
The hall dissolved into chaos. Raani clung to Yug, both of them trembling. Shyom, his voice cracking with emotion, shouted, "Bhabhi! Please, stop! You're hurting your own family!"
For a fleeting instant, Veena's glowing eyes flickered with clarity. Her lips quivered as she whispered, "Vihaan… save me…" Her voice was her own—frail, desperate.
But the darkness surged again, consuming her. Her expression twisted, and with a single motion of her hand, black energy erupted into a cluster of jagged daggers. They hovered in the air, gleaming with deathly intent.
The family froze in paralyzing fear.
In that instant, Vihaan tore the bracelet from his wrist. As Veena hurled the daggers forward, he raised his hand and unleashed his power. The air crackled with energy as the blades froze mid-flight, suspended by his will.
"I won't let the darkness take control over you not while I'm here," he growled, sweat breaking across his brow as he forced the daggers back. With a final cry, he flung them aside, the weapons clattering harmlessly to the floor.
In a flash, he soared up toward Veena. She shrieked, lashing out with claws of dark energy, but he caught her by the head and pressed his palm against her forehead.
A brilliant surge of light erupted from his hand, tearing through the black energy binding her. Veena convulsed, a strangled scream escaping her lips, before her body went limp.
Vihaan caught her, lowering her gently onto the sofa, his arms trembling as he whispered, "Maa… it's over. You're safe now."
Yug stepped forward, his voice hard and accusing. "Bhaiya, this proves Gauri was right all along. Aunt did attack her."
Vihaan froze, shame flooding his features as Yug's words pierced him. Memories of Gauri's wound, her anguish, and his cruel dismissal of her clawed at his chest. He clenched his jaw, guilt flickering in his eyes.
Before anyone could speak further, the room dimmed as a strange glow spilled through the windows. Outside, the moon bore a jagged black sigil etched across its face, the night sky trembling with unnatural energy.
Pratham Vanshi appeared suddenly, her presence commanding. Her words carried the weight of thunder. "You think the danger is over? It has only just begun."
The family turned to her, stunned. She lifted her hand toward the glowing sky. "Kamini is awakening. And when she fully rises, no one in this house will escape her wrath."
Urvashi clutched Raani close, her face drained of color. Shyom stepped protectively before them. "What do you mean? What will happen to us?"
Veena stirred, her voice trembling as she clutched Vihaan's wrist. Her eyes brimmed with terror as she gasped, "No… Kamini will come for my son!"
Vihaan wrapped his arms around her, his voice firm and resolute. "Nothing will happen to me, Maa. I swear, I'll protect you and this family. Whatever comes, we'll face it together."
But Pratham Vanshi's gaze was grim. "Do not underestimate Kamini. This is just her awakening. When she fully returns, her darkness will consume everything you love."
The sigil outside pulsed brighter, casting an ominous glow across the mansion—a promise of the storm yet to come.
Meanwhile, at the chawl, the night air was heavy and unnervingly still. Charvi sat by the window, her gaze fixed on the pale glow of the moon. A shiver ran down her spine, though she couldn't say why. Her fingers twisted the end of her dupatta nervously, her eyes unblinking.
Just then, Gauri walked in, drying her hair with a towel after washing up. She noticed her younger sister's troubled expression and frowned. "What's the matter, Charvi? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Charvi turned slowly, her voice hushed but trembling. "Sister… I don't know why, but I feel as if something strange—something dangerous—is about to happen."
Gauri forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "The only strange and dangerous thing that ever happened to us was ACP Vihaan Kothari forcing me with his marriage talk. But that phase is gone, Charvi. He won't disturb me again."
But Charvi shook her head, still staring at the night sky. "No… it's different this time. Look at the moon."
Curious, Gauri stepped closer to the window. Her eyes widened. The moon hung low and bright, but etched across its surface was a glowing sigil—ancient, foreboding, alive. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"Strange things do happen in this world," Gauri whispered, her voice softer than the wind that brushed past the window. Her gaze lingered on the sigil, her heart echoing with unease. Then, as if pulled by instinct, she began to recite in a low, poetic murmur:
"On the silver sheet of the moon lies a mark,
A secret awakened, a curse in the dark.
When two worlds bleed through a single scar,
Fate will be written in a song of war."
Her words lingered in the room, heavy like prophecy. Charvi clutched her sister's hand, fear shimmering in her eyes.
The sigil pulsed once on the moon, as though it had heard the poem—and then it dimmed into stillness, leaving only silence behind.
Gauri forced a laugh after her recitation, brushing her hair back. "Charvi, don't panic. It's just a strange pattern on the moon. We're not living in some fantasy novel or film where horrific, supernatural things suddenly happen."
She patted her sister's cheek gently, trying to reassure her. "The world runs on reality, not on omens. Tomorrow, life will be the same as today."
But Charvi didn't smile. Her gaze lingered on the fading sigil, unease pressing into her chest. No, sister… I can't shake this feeling. It has something to do with you.
Her thought remained unspoken, but the worry in her eyes said it all.