Kiara stepped out of the cave, clutching the glowing Amrit Kalash. The divine glow around her began to fade, and with it, the trident mark on her shoulder slowly dimmed until it vanished completely.
Yuvaan was already rushing to her, eyes wide with concern.
"Kiara… are you okay?" His hands hovered near her shoulders, afraid to touch her bruises but desperate to be sure she was fine.
Kiara nodded quickly, forcing a small smile. "I'm okay. Really."
He didn't fully believe her, but her steady gaze calmed him. Without another word, he led her down the mountain path, keeping her close as they returned home.
---
Pratap Singh Mansion
Night hadn't yet fallen, but the mansion felt heavy—filled with worry, tension, and a fragile strand of hope.
The moment Kiara and Yuvaan entered, Vikram hurried forward. His eyes immediately found the Kalash in Kiara's hands, and he exhaled a shaky breath.
"You brought it," he whispered reverently. "Good… very good."
He took the Amrit Kalash carefully, holding it as though it were a living soul.
"We must perform Shiva veneration," Vikram said. "Only the collective devotion of the family can unlock the purity within the Kalash."
Yuvaan tightened his jaw. He couldn't step into the temple—its holiness would burn him. But he walked beside Bhoomi as Aakash lifted her gently into his arms.
Together, Aakash laid her on the sofa directly across from the temple entrance—close enough for the Kalash's blessing to reach her, far enough that Yuvaan could stand beside her.
Yuvaan knelt immediately, holding his mother's hand as if afraid she might slip away if he let go.
Bhoomi's eyelids fluttered weakly, her breathing shallow. The sigil etched on her forehead pulsed dangerously.
Inside the temple, everyone took their places:
Chandrika lit the ghee lamp.
Susheela folded her trembling hands.
Riddhi and Aakash stood shoulder to shoulder.
Vinod bowed his head deeply.
Kiara positioned herself beside Chandrika, eyes determined.
And Vikram stood in the center with the Kalash held tightly in both hands.
The temple bells chimed softly.
And together, the voices began to rise:
"Om Namah Shivaay…
Om Namah Shivaay…"
The chant echoed through the mansion, vibrating through the walls, flowing through the air like a sacred river.
Yuvaan closed his eyes, gripping Bhoomi's lifeless hand harder. "Please, Maa," he whispered, voice breaking. "Hold on… just a little longer."
The sigil flickered.
The Amrit Kalash glowed faintly.
And Shiv veneration continued—each chant a thread pulling Bhoomi back from the brink.
The golden radiance bursting from the Amrit Kalash unfurled like the sun breaking through storm clouds. A warm, divine beam shot straight across the temple space and settled gently on Bhoomi's forehead where the sigil lay.
For a moment, everything was utterly still.
Then—
The sigil crackled, as if scorched by celestial fire. Dark veins of energy writhed across it before the mark shattered—breaking into particles of black dust that drifted away and vanished into thin air.
Bhoomi inhaled sharply, a trembling, desperate breath—as though life itself had returned to her body.
Kiara's lips parted in stunned disbelief.
Chandrika froze with folded hands.
Susheela whispered, "This… this is a miracle."
Riddhi clutched Kiara's arm, tears glistening in her eyes.
Even Vikram, still holding the glowing kalash, looked shaken to his core.
Outside the temple boundary, Yuvaan had been watching with aching worry. The moment Bhoomi's fingers twitched, he stepped forward instinctively, voice breaking:
"Mom… Mom! Can you hear me?"
He rushed to her side and knelt beside her, clasping her hand tightly. Bhoomi blinked slowly, her vision clearing, confusion blending into relief.
Bhoomi's eyes slowly fluttered open—clear, steady… but fragile.
Not wild.
Not confused.
Just… delicate, like someone waking from a long nightmare.
Her gaze drifted around the room, taking in the faces surrounding her. The temple lamps, the kalash's fading glow, Kiara, Vikram, Chandrika… all of them.
A small crease formed between her brows.
"Twenty-five… years…" she whispered, as if the weight of that time pressed against her chest.
Yuvaan squeezed her hand gently.
"Mom? It's me. It's Yuvaan. Can you see me?"
Bhoomi's eyes finally settled on him—soft, emotional. A trembling smile touched her lips, though her whole body felt weak.
"Yuvaan… my son," she breathed, tears gathering but her voice controlled. "You—you've grown so much."
She raised her other hand slowly, almost cautious of her own movements, brushing his cheek with shaky fingers.
Her touch was tender, but her expression carried the quiet hesitation of someone whose mind had only just been returned to balance.
Kiara watched, heart swelling.
Bhoomi continued in a low, steady tone, the way someone newly healed speaks after years trapped in a fog:
"I remember everything. All of it… every single year, every face, every moment. I was trapped inside myself, but I saw you—saw everything happening around me… like a dream I couldn't wake from."
Vinod stepped closer, voice tight with emotion but he didn't touch her, afraid of overwhelming her.
"Bhoomi… don't strain yourself. You've just come back to us."
She looked at him—recognition, love, and also the subtle disorientation of someone re-entering reality after decades of silence.
"I know, brother-in-law Vinod," she said softly. "But my mind is clear now. Truly clear."
Her breathing deepened as she steadied herself. "The madness… the shadows… they're gone."
Chandrika pressed her hands together in gratitude. Susheela's tears flowed freely. Even Angad, standing near the doorway, lowered his head.
Bhoomi slowly sat up with Yuvaan's support.
She looked around with full awareness, but her movements still gentle, careful.
"Twenty-five years," she murmured again. "And yet… it feels like I closed my eyes only yesterday."
Yuvaan swallowed hard, leaning his forehead against her hand.
"Mom… welcome back."
Bhoomi cupped his face, her voice warm but fragile:
"I was always here, beta. Watching. Waiting. And today… you brought me back."
The atmosphere shifted—relief, reverence, and a lingering tremor of awe at what the Amrit Kalash had accomplished.