The venom bearers advanced, their fangs glinting, black veins pulsing under pale, lifeless skin. Their growls echoed through the resort, shaking every heart.
"Gauri, what are you doing?" Vihaan shouted as she stepped forward, eyes locked on the monstrous horde.
But she didn't answer. She took a deep breath, the ring on her finger gleaming with divine light. Then, to everyone's utter shock—Gauri jumped into the pool.
"Gauri!" Veena screamed.
The family froze, staring in disbelief as ripples of light began to swirl through the water. Suddenly, the calm surface began to churn violently, glowing from beneath as if the pool itself had come alive.
From the heart of that storm, Gauri rose.
Her eyes were glowing an ethereal blue, her wet hair floating around her face like a halo. Drops of water shimmered on her skin, turning to sparks of silver light. Her arms extended sideways, and the pool water obeyed—rising upward in great, twisting streams that spiraled into the air like serpents made of liquid crystal.
Everyone—Vihaan, Yug, Urvashi, Sharda—could only watch in awe and terror.
"Jai Devi Maa!" Gauri's voice rang out, powerful and divine.
The mark on her arm—an ancient symbol of flowing water—ignited in radiant blue, pulsing with celestial energy. With a single commanding motion, she swung her hands forward.
The entire mass of levitating water crashed outward like a tidal wave, falling upon the advancing venom bearers.
A piercing hiss filled the air as the cursed creatures shrieked in agony. The moment the holy water touched them, their bodies began to crystallize—skin turning pale, limbs freezing solid. One by one, they transformed into icy statues, their black eyes locked in eternal silence.
The ground steamed from the frost, and within moments, what had been chaos became stillness—a field of frozen monsters glittering under the sun.
Gauri stood at the center of the pool, breathing hard but fierce, her eyes still glowing faintly. Vihaan ran to her side, extending his hand. "You're unbelievable," he said softly, pride and relief in his voice.
Gauri took his hand, climbing out of the pool, dripping with divine light. "They wanted to burn the world with their venom," she whispered, glancing back at the frozen horde. "But water always finds its way… even through darkness."
The family gathered around her, some speechless, some with tears of relief, realizing that Gauri had once again saved them all.
The air fell still. The hiss of frozen venom bearers lingered, then faded into silence. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though peace had returned.
But Sharda's voice broke through the quiet—sharp, trembling with dread.
"Vihaan! Gauri! Look!"
Everyone turned toward where she was pointing.
The resort walls began to tremble, the glass panels along the restaurant façade cracking like thin ice. The once-grand structure that had sheltered their laughter and fear alike now groaned, as if alive and dying all at once.
The floor beneath their feet quivered violently. Plates and chairs toppled, chandeliers swung from the ceilings, crashing down in a rain of shattered crystal.
"The resort— it's collapsing!" Yug shouted, pulling Charvi close.
"Everyone, out! Now!" Vihaan commanded, his voice slicing through the chaos.
Gauri quickly joined him, her wet clothes clinging to her as she darted from one family member to another, guiding them toward the exit. "Come on, Dadi! Bade maa— hurry!"
The ground split open in jagged cracks as they ran. The once-beautiful corridors they'd admired just hours ago now crumbled around them, tiles falling like shards of glass. Dust filled the air, choking their lungs, but Vihaan and Gauri didn't stop.
They burst through the main door just as the entire structure shuddered and folded in on itself. With a deafening roar, the resort imploded into a cloud of dust and ash, collapsing into nothingness.
Everyone froze—staring at the ruins, their faces pale, their hearts pounding.
"What… what just happened?" Urvashi whispered, clutching her chest.
Sharda, her eyes wide with fear, murmured, "It wasn't an earthquake… this was something else… something dark."
Vihaan turned to look at Gauri. She met his gaze, water dripping from her hair, her expression grim.
"Someone doesn't want us to leave this place alive," she said softly.
And far away, hidden among the hills, Naashak watched—the faintest smirk curling on his lips as he whispered,
"Let the real game begin."