Sharda stepped forward, her face tense. "Pratham Vanshi, tell me… how can we rescue Gauri from that shadow realm?"
Pratham Vanshi raised her staff, her eyes steady. "In every house, there exist four dimensional portals, one in each cardinal direction. Only one of them leads to the shadow realm. You must find the correct portal… the one that will take you directly to her."
She then extended her hands, and four small orbs appeared, shimmering with faint light. "Take these," she instructed, handing one each to Vihaan, Yug, Raani, and Sharda. "These orbs will glow the moment you locate the correct portal. Follow the glow carefully… it will guide you to the entrance of the shadow realm."
Vihaan grasped the orb tightly, his jaw set. "We won't waste a second. She's facing danger right now."
Yug's eyes flickered with determination as he held his orb. "We'll find it… and we'll bring her back safely."
Raani nodded, clutching her orb. Sharda's expression softened slightly as she too held the orb, ready to act. The room was filled with tense anticipation as the family prepared for the dangerous mission ahead.
In the shadow realm, Gauri's eyes widened as she stepped into the temple, her heart pounding. The idol of the goddess sat petrified, frozen in stone. She fell to her knees, trembling, and folded her hands.
"Goddess… please," she whispered, her voice breaking, "where am I? Why am I here? What is this place? I don't understand…"
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at the frozen deity. "I've always believed in you, Goddess… I've prayed to you for strength, for courage… and now, I don't even know where to begin. Please… guide me. Tell me what I must do. I can't do this alone."
Her voice rose, quivering with desperation. "I'm scared… I don't know what's waiting for me, but I need to protect him… Vihaan… please show me the way. Please, Goddess, I beg of you, let me find a path out of this darkness."
A faint jingling sound drew her gaze downward. Anklets lay on the ground. She picked them up, and their sound reverberated through the temple. The petrified idol cracked slightly at the first jingle.
A whisper of realization came to her heart. "The dance… I have to dance… I must give everything I have to awaken you, Goddess. Please… let my steps break the chains, let my devotion reach you."
With a deep breath, she wore the anklets, letting their divine sound echo as she began to dance. Each movement was a prayer, each twirl a plea for guidance, every step a reflection of her heart's courage.
Meanwhile in the real world,Vihaan and his family dashed through every corner of the mansion, determination blazing in their eyes. Each step carried the weight of urgency as they searched for the dimensional portal to the shadow realm. Yet, Vihaan's orb remained dull, as did Raani's and Yug's, while Sharda pressed on, reaching the backyard. There, a dry, forgotten well stood, and suddenly, her orb flared with a brilliant glow. "Vihaan!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the corridors.
Sharda's voice rang out again. "Vihaan! The portal—it's in the backyard!"
Hearing her, Vihaan and the others surged forward, hearts pounding, breaths ragged. The jingling sound of Gauri's anklets seemed to reach them faintly, a guiding beacon through the darkness. Every second felt like an eternity, but the determination to save her propelled them forward, racing against time and the looming shadow.
Meanwhile in the shadow realm
Gauri's feet moved almost instinctively, her body swaying in rhythm with the anklets' soft jingles. Each step, each turn felt like a prayer, each movement a plea to the goddess. Light began to seep through the cracks of the petrified idol, warm and gentle, as if the deity herself was watching over her.
Gauri fell to her knees, trembling, and pressed her palms together. "Please… please, Goddess… I don't know how I got here… why this is happening… but I beg you, show me the way. Protect me… guide me…" Her voice broke, tears running down her cheeks, her whole body shaking with the weight of fear and desperation.
As the last fragments of the idol shattered, a trident glimmered in the temple's glow. She reached out, fingers brushing the cold metal, heart pounding. Maybe… just maybe… it could protect her.
But before she could grasp it, a scream tore through the air—loud, guttural, impossible to ignore. Gauri clutched her ears, stumbling backward, her knees hitting the cold stone floor. The shadow beast had appeared, its eyes glowing like embers, and its roar wasn't just sound—it felt like it burrowed into her very mind.
A violent force yanked her from the temple, hurling her across the ruined courtyard. She landed hard on the ground, her body shaking, breath ragged, her eyes wide with terror as she crawled backward, staring at the monstrous silhouette.
For a moment, she felt utterly helpless, the weight of fear pressing down on her chest. She wanted to run, to hide, to disappear… and yet, deep inside, the tiniest spark of courage refused to die. Clutching the dust-covered ground, Gauri whispered, her voice barely audible over the echoing roars, "I… I can't fight you… but please, Goddess… don't let me… fall…"
Her body shivered, but she stayed where she was, trembling, afraid to move, yet unwilling to close her eyes completely