The crimson glow of the blood moon intensified, bathing the backyard in an otherworldly light. Kamini's statue quivered violently, as if alive, dark energy writhing around it like smoke. From the cracks, serpents — black as midnight and glistening with venom — began to slither out, writhing toward the ground. Their bodies coiled around the statue, almost as if it were drawing power from them. Each hiss echoed like a sinister chant, sending shivers down the spines of everyone present.
Vihaan, Gauri, Yug, Charvi, Dadi, Veena, Raani, Sharda, and Urvashi stood together, frozen in horror. The air was thick with tension, and the shadows of the serpents stretched across the garden like living chains. Vihaan's hands burned with magical energy, but even he knew that the statue's power had grown beyond anything they had faced before.
"This… this can't be happening," Veena whispered, clutching Dadi's hand.
Gauri's eyes darted between the serpents and the statue, her mind racing. "It's feeding… it's draining them! We need to stop it before it grows stronger!"
Across the lands, far away at Pratham Vansh, Pratham Vanshi's eyes fluttered open, glowing faintly in the dim candlelight of her cottage. She felt the tremors of dark energy ripple across the world — Kamini was stirring, awakening after centuries.
"Tonight…" she murmured, voice tight with urgency. "…tonight, Gauri must awaken her powers."
The older seer rose, steadying herself. The other women of Pratham Vansh were already gathered, their faces etched with determination. "Prepare the rituals," Pratham Vanshi commanded. "Kamini rises, which means Jalpanchi's power must awaken. Gauri cannot face this alone."
They gathered their sacred herbs, chanting instruments, and ceremonial vessels, heading toward the River Ganges. Tonight, the divine waters would be the catalyst for Gauri's latent powers to emerge.
Meanwhile, at the Chawl, high above the city streets, Gayatri pressed herself against the window, staring at the blood-red sky with growing unease. Her fingers trembled as she tried calling Charvi, then Gauri. No signal. No answer.
Her heart clenched. "My daughters… something is wrong," she whispered, her instincts screaming louder than reason. She rushed to the small temple tucked into the corner of her home, hands clasped tightly in prayer.
"Oh Lord," she murmured, voice quivering, "protect my daughters… protect Gauri, Charvi… and the Kotharis tonight. Keep them safe from this evil."
Outside, the wind howled as the blood moon climbed higher. Somewhere in the mansion, serpents coiled, shadows twisted, and a family united under fear and love prepared for the storm that was coming.
The night had only begun — and destiny was already in motion.
Meanwhile at the kothari
The air around the cracked statue shimmered with a dark, suffocating energy. As Vihaan and Gauri stepped forward, determination blazing in their eyes, an invisible force slammed into them like a wall. They staggered backward, the impact forcing them onto their knees. The serpents coiling the statue hissed in unison, as if sensing their intent.
"Sister Gauri!" Charvi's voice rang out, sharp and urgent. She lunged forward, grabbing Gauri's arm and holding her steady. "You can't let it throw you off—focus!"
Yug, crouched beside Vihaan, steadied his brother with a firm grip. "Vihaan Bhaiya! Don't let it overpower you. Stand up!"
Together, the siblings and friends rose, breathing hard, their hearts pounding as the oppressive force continued to push against them. The crimson moonlight glinted off the serpent coils, casting eerie shadows across the backyard.
Gauri's eyes met Vihaan's, both filled with resolve. "We can't stop now," she whispered, her voice steady despite the invisible push threatening to throw her off balance.
Vihaan nodded, his hands crackling with energy as he countered the dark force with a protective aura, his red-and-blue magic flaring around them. Charvi and Yug braced themselves, lending their strength to shield their loved ones.
The family formed an unbroken line, standing together against the malevolent power emanating from Kamini's statue, each heartbeat echoing their determination: they would not let darkness triumph tonight.
The group gathered around the statue, every step forward met with an invisible, crushing force that threw them off balance. Vihaan's fists glowed with energy, Gauri's hands trembled with restrained power, yet the darkness refused to relent.
"This… this isn't working," Sharda's voice broke through the chaos, firm yet tinged with fear. She stepped forward, holding her hands up as if to shield them from the ominous aura. "Nothing can be done now… Kamini is being freed."
Vihaan's eyes narrowed in disbelief. "What do you mean? We still have a chance!"
But before anyone could react, the impossible happened. The stone of the statue began to shimmer and crack, a faint glow spreading through its twisted form. Slowly, inexorably, it started to dissolve from within, as if the dark magic animating Kamini was drawing herself out of the stone and into the world.
Gauri's breath caught in her throat. "She… she's coming back," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rising wind and the hiss of the coiling serpents.
The family froze, their faces pale as they watched the impossible unfold. The statue, once solid and unyielding, now pulsed and melted like molten rock, revealing the spectral form of Kamini — regal, terrifying, and more alive than ever.
Vihaan clenched his fists, stepping forward despite the invisible barrier, his jaw set. "We'll stop her," he vowed, voice raw with determination. "No matter what."
But deep in their hearts, each of them understood the truth: the battle had truly begun. Kamini was free, and the night of the blood moon had just become a night of reckoning.