The air inside the cottage twisted into chaos. Adrija's banshee scream tore through the space like a storm of blades. Surekha and Surya crumpled to the floor, lifeless—blood trickling from their ears, their shotgun slipping from their grasp with a hollow clang.
Adrija lowered her head slowly, her lips curling into a cold, satisfied smile. "Well, well…" she murmured, her voice echoing like wind through a hollow cave. "Let's get the bird."
But as she stepped forward, a firm grip caught her wrist. Yug—blood streaking down from his temple, eyes blazing with resolve—held her hand tightly.
"You're not taking it," he said through clenched teeth. "Not while I'm alive."
Adrija's smile widened. "How brave," she purred. "But bravery doesn't save lives. It ends them."
Her long, flowing hair began to twist and coil, gathering into a single dark braid that slithered through the air like a living serpent. In a heartbeat, it wrapped around Yug's torso, tightening until his breath hitched. With a flick of her wrist, she lifted him off the ground—his feet dangling as he struggled to break free.
"Adrija Didi, please stop!" Charvi cried, stepping forward with tears in her eyes.
Adrija's head turned sharply, her once-soft gaze now cold and merciless. "I'm not your Didi anymore," she hissed, her voice layered with ghostly echoes. "I'm a Banshee now—and banshees don't feel."
With a flick of her fingers, the cage's golden runes shimmered and expanded, trapping Charvi inside. The bars sealed shut around her, and she fell to her knees, sobbing as the banshee's braid constricted around Yug's neck.
Adrija's tone dripped with venom. "Once I'm done with you both, I'll take that bird straight to Manmohini. She'll be very… pleased."
Yug choked, gasping for air, his hands clawing at the braid. The crimson bird fluttered frantically in its corner, wings slamming against the cage.
Then—something changed.
The air grew still. The bird let out a sharp cry, and the bars of the cage began to melt away, one by one, like silver under sunlight. Adrija froze mid-movement, her braid loosening as her eyes widened in disbelief.
From within the fading cage, a radiant light began to bloom—soft yet blinding. Charvi rose slowly to her feet, her expression serene. Her clothes shimmered, transforming into white attire that rippled like silk in the breeze, and a flowing white scarf floated around her like wings of light.
A flurry of glowing butterflies swarmed around her, their wings whispering in unison as they circled her in divine motion.
Adrija stepped back, her braid slackening, and even Yug stared—suspended in the air, his pain forgotten in awe.
Charvi opened her glowing eyes, her voice calm yet resonant.
"Enough."
The butterflies scattered into the air, and the room filled with light—pure and unstoppable.
The light dimmed, settling into a soft, golden haze that filled the cottage like the calm after a storm. Adrija stood frozen, her expression unreadable—half fury, half disbelief. Charvi, still surrounded by faintly glowing butterflies, stepped forward with quiet strength in her eyes.
"You are my sister," she said softly, her voice carrying the weight of both sorrow and warning. "But if you cross the line again… I won't hesitate to stop you. So please—leave now."
For the first time, Adrija faltered. Something in Charvi's voice—its divine authority—seemed to strike her deeper than any weapon could. The banshee's form shimmered, her sharp defiance fading into uneasy silence.
With a cold breath, she raised her hand. The dark braid unwound from around Yug, lowering him gently to the ground. Her crimson eyes flickered once more before she vanished into mist, her fading words whispering through the air:
"This isn't over, sister."
The room fell still. Yug coughed, catching his breath as the crimson bird fluttered down onto his arm. He looked up at Charvi, awe and concern blending in his gaze. "What… what just happened to you?"
Charvi touched her glowing scarf, its light dimming slowly. "It seems my powers as a mystic seer are awakening," she said quietly. "But there's no time to understand it now—we have to go."
Yug nodded firmly. With the bird cradled carefully in his hands, he took one last look at the silent cottage before following Charvi out. The portal shimmered before them once more, swirling with golden light, and together they stepped through—vanishing into the rippling air.
---
Meanwhile, in the dim basement of the Kothari mansion, shadows pressed close around the iron cage that held Sarvansh. Gauri's voice cracked as she gripped the bars.
"Please, Sarvansh… if you don't merge with Vihaan now, he'll die before sunset. I can't lose him—I can't."
Veena stood behind her, wringing her hands, her face pale with worry. "We've already lost so much," she whispered. "Don't make us lose him too."
Sarvansh leaned against the bars, his expression unreadable. For a moment, it seemed he would mock her again, his lips twitching in that familiar, cruel smirk. But then he saw the tears in Gauri's eyes—pure, desperate, and real.
Something shifted in him. The mask cracked, just for a heartbeat.
"Fine," he muttered, looking away. "I'll do it. Not for him… but because I'm tired of your crying."
Gauri let out a trembling breath, half sob, half relief.
As the sun's light slanted through the high window, the air around them began to hum with strange energy—two souls preparing to become one.
To be continued…