Night settled heavily over the Kothari mansion. The wind brushed against the windows, whispering as though carrying an omen. Inside their room, Gauri sat beside the lamp, her fingers tracing the patterns on Vihaan's shawl.
Mohini's words echoed relentlessly in her mind.
He will die before your eyes... and none will be able to save him.
She pressed her palms together, her voice trembling in prayer. "Mahadev, if this curse is true… let it come to me instead. Not him."
The door creaked open.
"Still awake?" Vihaan's gentle voice broke the silence.
Gauri turned, forcing a faint smile. "How can I sleep after what she said? Every time I close my eyes, I see her—her red tongue sealing that curse. Vihaan, what if—"
"Don't," he interrupted softly, walking to her side. "You think I'll let a witch's curse decide my fate?"
She met his gaze, her eyes brimming. "You don't understand. Mohini wasn't ordinary. The way she spoke—her power—it was different."
Vihaan touched her face, smiling faintly. "You said the same thing about Kamini once. And look what happened—she's gone. And so will this fear."
Before Gauri could respond, Vihaan stiffened. His hand slipped from hers, and a strangled gasp escaped his throat.
"Vihaan?" she whispered, alarmed.
His body convulsed violently, falling to the floor. Gauri screamed, clutching him. Black veins crept across his skin like rivers of poison, pulsing beneath his flesh. His breath came shallow, his heartbeat fading.
"Sharda Maa! Dadi!" Gauri shouted desperately.
The family rushed in. Veena gasped, tears springing to her eyes. "What's happening to him?"
Sharda knelt beside Vihaan, placing a trembling hand on his chest. "This… this isn't sickness. It's dark magic. Someone's draining his life force."
---
Far away, in the quiet heart of Pratham Vansh, the old seer stirred awake. Her crystal bowl glowed with black light as visions swirled within. She saw a dark figure—eyes of fire—standing over Vihaan's fading form.
Her breath caught. "Th dark powers is… alive again?"
She raised her staff, the flame in her altar blazing fiercely. "No. Not Vihaan… but his shadow. Sarvansh."
The air crackled as she whispered an ancient chant, sending her warning across realms.
"To the Kotharis… the shadow must die, or the mortal will perish."
Her words carried on the wind, vanishing into the night.
---
At that very hour, in a dimly lit square miles away, Kesar clutched a small birdcage to her chest. The bird inside chirped softly, sensing her unease.
Her voice trembled as she spoke to it. "It's over, little one. Aditya said we'll meet at the square and escape. No more cages for either of us."
She hurried to the village square, where Aditya stood waiting in the shadows. His expression was unreadable.
"Aditya," she smiled faintly. "You came."
He didn't speak. Two men stepped out from behind him. Before she could react, they grabbed her arms roughly. The birdcage slipped from her hands and crashed to the ground.
"Aditya!" she cried. "What are you doing?"
He smirked. "You said you wanted freedom. I found someone willing to buy it."
Her heart stopped. "You sold me?"
He shrugged. "You were never worth much anyway."
Kesar struggled, screaming, "Let me go!" but the men dragged her toward the carts waiting nearby. Tears streaked her face. "You promised me, Aditya!"
Suddenly, the torches flickered. The air turned cold, thick with a strange energy. From the shadows, a tall figure emerged—his presence suffocating, his eyes glowing crimson.
The men froze.
The stranger's voice was calm but deadly. "Let her go."
"Who the hell are you?" one man growled.
The stranger smiled faintly. "Death."
Before they could blink, he moved—fast as a shadow. The men screamed as invisible force crushed their bones and threw them aside like dolls. Aditya stumbled back in terror.
"Who… who are you?" he stammered.
The man stepped closer, his face half-hidden in darkness. "I am the sin that survives when goodness dies."
Aditya tried to run, but the stranger raised his hand, and in an instant, Aditya's body convulsed—his scream cut short as he disintegrated into ash.
Kesar fell to her knees, trembling. "Villain…" she whispered weakly before collapsing.
The man—Sarvansh—looked down at her. A rare softness crossed his eyes. He knelt beside her, dipped his finger in his blood, and marked her forehead.
"You called me, and I came," he murmured. "Now you belong to me."
---
Back at the Kothari mansion, the sacred letter arrived, glowing faintly in Sharda's hands. She read it aloud, her voice breaking.
"Sarvansh is a parasitic entity born from Vihaan's own power. To save him, the shadow must die."
The family fell silent. Veena clutched her head. "Then… Vihaan's losing his life because his power turned into that monster?"
Gauri's eyes widened in realization. "That's why he fainted… and that's who came to my house pretending to be him."
"Who can stop this?" Veena cried.
Sharda's gaze turned toward Gauri. "Only the Jalpanchi can destroy him."
"Me?" Gauri whispered.
Yug stepped forward. "You're not just his wife, Gauri bhabhi. You're his protector. Only your magic can break that bond."
"But what if I hurt Vihaan too?" she asked, her voice cracking.
Sharda placed a hand over her heart. "Water purifies, it doesn't destroy. You'll find the balance."
Just then, Vihaan stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He tried to speak, his voice weak. "Gauri… don't go after him. He's dangerous."
"You can't fight him," Urvashi said firmly. "You've lost your strength."
Vihaan coughed, his breath ragged. "He's… part of me."
"And that's why he must die," Dadi said softly. "Or he'll take you with him."
Gauri's tears glimmered in the lamplight, but her resolve hardened. "Then I'll go. I'll bring him back—or end him myself."
Sharda removed a silver pendant and tied it around Gauri's neck. "This carries the blessing of the river goddess. May it awaken your true power."
Yug fastened his belt, stepping forward. "You're not going alone."
Dadi raised her hand in blessing. "May the water shield you, child."
Gauri looked one last time at Vihaan's pale face, her voice a whisper.
"I'll save you, Vihaan. Even if it means fighting your own shadow."
As she stepped out into the night beside Yug, the air shimmered faintly around her—the first stirrings of divine power awakening within.
Somewhere far away, Sarvansh stood beneath the red moon, holding Kesar in his arms.
He smirked as he felt Gauri's power rising.
"So, the Jalpanchi comes for me…" he murmured. "Let her try."