Vihaan's chest heaved as the demonic aura ebbed away. His glowing eyes dimmed, the levitating objects crashed back to the ground, and guilt clawed at him.
What have I done?
He had revealed his darkest truth to Gauri—the one thing she should never have known. Panic-stricken, he rushed out of the room and almost collided with Yug in the corridor.
"Yug, did you see Gauri?!" Vihaan asked breathlessly.
Yug frowned. "No, Bhaiya… what happened? You look shaken."
"There's no time to explain," Vihaan muttered, eyes frantic. "We have to find her. Now."
The two brothers split up, calling out her name through the mansion's endless halls.
---
Downstairs – Mansion Hall
Gauri stumbled into the hall, tears streaming down her face. Vihaan's revelation thundered in her ears.
King of a demonic realm… Sarvansh… married me by force… I'm trapped in a house of monsters.
Her breaths came in short, panicked bursts. She clutched the latch of the main door, whispering shakily:
"I can't stay here… I have to leave… I have to get out…"
---
Basement – The Witch's Cage
Below, Nishi's eyes snapped open as she felt the wards weakening. A wicked smile curved her lips.
She whispered an incantation, her voice dripping with venom, and sent her spell upwards. Tendrils of hypnotic energy slithered through the air, searching… until they found Gauri.
---
Hallway to the Basement
Gauri froze mid-motion. The door handle slipped from her grasp. Her body went rigid, her eyes glazing over as if life had been drained from them.
Slowly, mechanically, she turned. Step by step, she walked away from freedom—her feet dragging her toward the basement stairs.
Her tears had dried, replaced with a vacant, eerie calm.
---
Basement – Face-to-Face
The glow of the cage illuminated the shadows as Gauri entered, her expression empty, her steps puppet-like.
Nishi leaned forward, her smirk fading into something closer to awe.
"I've seen you before…" Gauri murmured, her voice monotone, eyes unfocused.
For the first time, fear flickered in Nishi's eyes. Her voice dropped to a trembling whisper.
"Even under my control… you remember me?"
Her grip on the bars tightened. The defiance that once defined her melted into desperation.
"Please… help me," she rasped. "I never wanted to come here. But every time you're in this house, something drags me back. I don't know why… but you are the reason."
Gauri stood motionless, her glassy eyes locked on the witch, her will no longer her own—yet her very presence seemed to weaken Nishi further, binding them together in a way neither understood.
Nishi straightened, her triumphant smile twisting into something far darker.
"Yes… it's me. Nishigandha," she declared, her voice dripping with malice. "You, unfortunately, had to cross my path. And for that—I have to kill you."
Gauri's breath hitched as she stumbled back, her body trembling.
"P-please… stay away from me," she stammered, fear breaking through her voice.
She turned sharply, making a desperate run toward the basement door. But Nishi's chilling words froze her mid-step.
"After your death, I'll make sure to kill your dearest younger sister… Charvi."
Gauri stopped dead in her tracks. Her chest heaved, and her fear twisted into fury. Slowly, she turned back, her eyes blazing.
"How dare you…" she hissed, her voice low but deadly. "How dare you drag my sister into this?"
The basement crackled with rising tension, Gauri's fear now replaced with a fiery resolve as she glared at the witch
Nishi's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"So what if I drag your sister into this?" she taunted, her dark eyes gleaming.
Gauri's chest rose and fell as she stepped forward boldly, her voice steady and fearless.
"My sister is my life… and dragging her into this is your biggest mistake."
A cruel, echoing laugh filled the basement.
"I see," Nishi hissed, her voice dripping with menace. "Let's see whose mistake this truly is."
In an instant, the air shimmered around Nishi's hands. Sharp, gleaming daggers materialized, spinning and slicing through the air toward Gauri with lethal precision.
Gauri's eyes widened in shock—but there was no fear this time, only determination. She braced herself, ready to face the storm that was hurtling toward her.
The daggers whirled toward Gauri with deadly precision. Heart pounding, she raised her hand—and suddenly, time seemed to slow. The daggers froze mid-air, hovering like statues.
Nishi's eyes widened in shock.
"What… how?!" she gasped.
Gauri slowly lifted her face, her eyes now glowing an intense blue. Behind her, a magnificent figure took shape—a water phoenix, shimmering with ethereal light, wings unfurling majestically.
"Jalpanchi," Nishi whispered, recognition and fear mingling in her voice.
With a flick of her wrist, Gauri redirected the daggers with precision. They sliced through the air and hurtled toward Nishi. Panic flashed across Nishi's face as she tried to flee—but the daggers struck, and ice began to creep over her body, covering her in a crystalline sheen.
Gauri staggered, overwhelmed by the surge of energy coursing through her, and fainted, collapsing to the floor.
Just then, Vihaan and Yug burst into the basement, their eyes wide with alarm.
"Gauri!" Vihaan shouted, rushing to her side as Yug followed closely.
They caught her gently, relief flooding their faces—but their attention immediately shifted to Nishi, now frozen in ice and motionless. Both brothers froze, shock and confusion written across their faces.
"What… what happened?" Yug whispered, eyes darting between Gauri and the frozen witch.
Vihaan's brow furrowed. "I… I don't know. Did she—? No, it can't be…"
Neither dared to fully comprehend the event. All they knew was that Gauri had collapsed, and Nishi was encased in ice. The basement was eerily silent, the air thick with power and uncertainty.