The air in the Pratap Singh Mansion grew still as Kiara's voice carried through the silence.
"Twenty-five years ago…" she began softly, her eyes locked on Taamsi's dark form, "…Aunt Susheela told me everything that happened on the night Yuvaan was born."
The scene faded into the haunting glow of the past — a stormy night, thunder echoing through the lonely roads of Rajasthan.
---
A black Ambassador car cut through the misty darkness. Inside, Pramad Singh, his knuckles white on the steering wheel, drove through the deserted highway. Beside him sat Susheela, her eyes flicking anxiously between the road and the woman in the back seat — Bhoomi, heavily pregnant, her breath shallow, her hand pressed over her belly.
"Just hold on, Bhoomi," Susheela said gently, trying to mask her fear. "Everything will be fine. The hospital is just a few miles away."
Bhoomi groaned softly, sweat glistening on her forehead. "Susheela… something feels wrong… the baby—"
Before she could finish, a shadow fell over the road.
Pramad slammed the brakes. The car screeched to a halt, headlights slicing through the fog — revealing a lone figure standing in the middle of the road.
Her silhouette was that of a woman — tall, graceful, but unnaturally still. When the lightning struck again, her face became visible: Taamsi, the shadow witch, her eyes glowing green, her lips curved into a sinister smile.
"Come out, pregnant lady," Taamsi's voice rang eerily. "That child you carry… is not yours. He is the King of Darkness. I have come to claim him."
Bhoomi clutched her belly, trembling. "No…"
Susheela's eyes widened. She whispered to Pramad, "It's happening. The prophecy… The priests warned us this day would come. They said the darkness would try to reclaim what belongs to light."
Pramad's jaw tightened. "He's our family's child. No demon will take him from us."
He slammed his foot on the accelerator — the car roared forward, aiming straight at the witch.
Taamsi's smile didn't falter. With a flick of her hand, the air around them distorted — the car was hurled into the air as if struck by a storm. It crashed into a tree, glass shattering, smoke rising.
Miraculously, all three survived. Pramad groaned, helping Susheela and Bhoomi out. Bhoomi was crying now, her contractions worsening.
"Go!" Pramad urged. "Take Bhoomi and run! I'll hold her off!"
"Pramad!" Bhoomi cried, clutching his arm, but he pulled away, determination burning in his eyes.
Taamsi stepped closer, her laughter echoing through the dark road. "Do you think you can stop me, Pramad Singh?"
Pramad turned to face her. "I can't," he said coldly, his voice resonating with a strange power, "but a Reeva hunter… and a father can."
A flash of blue light burst from his palm — a divine sword materialized in his grip. Taamsi's expression darkened, genuine shock flashing across her features.
"You…" she hissed. "How can Kaal's reincarnation bloodline produce a Reeva?!"
Pramad's eyes glowed faintly silver. "My mother was from the Reeva dynasty," he said. "She kept it secret from my father — and my stepbrother, Vinod. But now, that legacy lives through me."
With a war cry, he lunged forward, slashing his sword in a streak of divine light. The battle ignited — holy steel against shadow magic. Sparks flew as power met power.
But Taamsi was stronger. She conjured dark tendrils from the ground, wrapping around Pramad's body, draining his strength.
"Your light cannot destroy what is eternal," she whispered.
With one swift motion, she plunged her claws into his chest. The sword clattered to the ground, its glow fading. Pramad fell, gasping, as his last words escaped: "Susheela… protect… my son…"
Taamsi smiled darkly as he collapsed. "Bravery… wasted."
---
Meanwhile, in the forest, Susheela half-carried Bhoomi, who was crying and bleeding.
"Please, Bhoomi, hold on! Just a little further!"
But before they could reach the main road, Taamsi appeared again, blocking their path.
"Running will not save him," she said. "The tides have changed, Susheela. I have realized something… if I cannot take the child now, I will stay close to him. I will shape him — I will make sure he follows the path of darkness instead of light."
Susheela gasped, shielding Bhoomi behind her. "Never!"
Taamsi raised her hand — shadows burst forth, engulfing Susheela in a swirling vortex. Her scream echoed through the night as she was dragged into the shadow realm, vanishing completely.
"No!" Bhoomi screamed, tears streaming down her face.
Taamsi turned to her, smirking. "And you, mother of the cursed one… you will live, but your mind shall never be the same."
Dark sigils appeared in Taamsi's hands as she pressed them over Bhoomi's forehead. Bhoomi screamed, clutching her head in agony — the curse seared her sanity.
But in a sudden surge of maternal desperation, Bhoomi shoved Taamsi backward and ran into the road.
Headlights flashed — a car stopped abruptly. Out stepped a young couple — Kajal and Vikram, unaware of the storm they were stepping into.
"My God—she's pregnant!" Kajal gasped, rushing forward.
"Help… hospital…" Bhoomi whispered before fainting.
They carried her into the car and sped toward the nearest hospital.
---
Kiara's voice softened as the flashback ended.
"At dawn," she said, "mother-in-law gave birth to Yuvaan… but the sigil Taamsi placed on her mind destroyed her sanity. That's why she never remembered that night… or the truth about Taamsi."
The family stood in stunned silence.
Vinod's hands trembled as he looked at Yuvaan — guilt and horror mixing on his face.
"All these years…" he whispered. "All this time…"
Taamsi's eyes narrowed, but there was a flicker of rage beneath her smirk.
Kiara's voice hardened. "You didn't just take lives that night, Taamsi. You cursed an entire family… and that curse ends today."
The flames of the diya flickered violently, as if the universe itself agreed.