Betty screeched, the sound splitting through the air like shattering glass. Her sonic scream rippled across the road, bending the trees and cracking the stones beneath their feet. Angad stumbled, clutching his ears in agony. "Ah! Stop that, you banshee!" he groaned, wincing in pain.
But Mishka didn't even blink. Her eyes gleamed with golden fire, her long braid rising behind her like a coiled serpent ready to strike. "That's all you've got?" she said coldly.
Before Betty could recover, Mishka's braid began spinning — faster and faster, a whirlwind of dark energy forming around it. Then, with a sharp flick of her wrist, it shot forward like a cyclone.
The impact was brutal. The braid struck Betty square across the chest, sending her flying backward with a scream. Her wings faltered, and she hit the ground hard, blood oozing from the gashes.
Betty looked up in fury and disbelief, her voice trembling. "You… you'll pay for this!"
Mishka simply tilted her head. "Run while you can."
Betty shrieked again, her wings tearing open as she took flight, retreating into the crimson-tinted clouds above.
Angad exhaled shakily, lowering his hands. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Mishka's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk. "Good. You're learning."
---
Meanwhile, deep within the jungle, the Vish Purush roared and swung his venomous claws at Yuvaan — but his strike hit nothing but air.
Kiara's eyes widened as Yuvaan's form flickered — he wasn't standing in one place anymore. He was everywhere. Shadows split into countless copies of him, surrounding the creature in a perfect circle.
"Wha—what is this?" the Vish Purush hissed, panic creeping into his monstrous tone.
Yuvaan's voice echoed through the forest, smooth and chilling. "You think too small, kid."
The monster turned wildly, trying to locate him, but Yuvaan appeared right in front of its face — his crimson eyes glowing.
"I am the heir of Kaal. You?" He smirked. "You're just a drop in a vast, endless ocean."
Yuvaan slowly raised his hand. Dark energy swirled around his palm, expanding into a massive, spectral hand that blotted out the moonlight. The very ground trembled beneath its power.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, the dark hand slammed down upon the Vish Purush.
The impact echoed like thunder. The creature's scream was brief — swallowed by darkness as his body dissolved into dust.
Kiara stood still, breath caught in her throat, eyes locked on Yuvaan — both terrified and awestruck.
Yuvaan turned slightly, brushing off his coat as if he'd done something mundane. "Well," he said, flashing a crooked grin, "that was fun."
Kiara slowly approached Yuvaan, her steps careful over the rustling forest floor. The moonlight shimmered faintly against his skin, his eyes still burning with that fierce, demonic glow. For a brief second, she hesitated—unsure if she was staring at her husband or the reincarnation of the darkness itself.
But then, gently, she reached out and touched his arm.
"Yuvaan," she said softly. "It's over. We need to move on."
Her voice carried a calm strength, grounding him. Yuvaan blinked, his glowing crimson eyes dimming until only the human warmth remained. The sinister aura around him faded, swallowed by the silence of the forest.
He looked at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Right… let's keep going," he said quietly.
Together, they continued through the eerie woods, the path ahead now faintly illuminated by the glow of the distant mountain—Trinetra, the sacred peak where the Amrit Kalash awaited them.
---
Meanwhile, miles away, Mishka and Angad emerged from the misty slopes of Manidhara Mountain, the Jeevpatra herb clutched safely in Mishka's hand. The journey had left them both exhausted and dusted with earth, but neither spoke a word. They knew time was precious.
By the time they reached the Pratap Singh mansion, dusk had already begun to fall. Inside, the tension was heavy—every heartbeat synchronized with Bhoomi's faint breathing.
Vikram immediately took the herb from Mishka's hands and went to work. He crushed the glowing green leaves with ancient precision, grinding them into a luminous potion that pulsed faintly in the bowl, as if alive.
"Hold her steady," Vikram instructed. Chandrika supported Bhoomi's head while Vinod watched anxiously from the side.
Vikram carefully poured the potion into Bhoomi's mouth. For a moment, nothing happened—then, her breathing steadied. The fiery sigil on her forehead dimmed slightly, its red light fading to a faint ember.
Everyone exhaled in relief.
"She's stable… for now," Vikram said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But she's still unconscious. We've only bought her time."
Angad looked toward the door, his expression solemn. "Then it's up to Yuvaan and Kiara now."
The family exchanged uneasy glances as the wind outside howled softly—like a warning of the darkness that still loomed ahead.
To be continued…