Kiara and Angad returned to the study room together.
Her eyes were still red, but her posture was steady, determined. Angad walked behind her, silent, the weight of what they'd uncovered pressing on him.
The family looked up.
"Kiara… did you—" Bhoomi began, voice trembling.
Kiara took a deep breath.
"I found a way to save Yuvaan."
For a moment, the room was still. Every pair of eyes locked on her. Then slowly, hope began to bloom.
Bhoomi's hands went to her mouth. Tears spilled freely. Chandrika's eyes shimmered with relief. Aakash exhaled sharply, as if a huge weight had been lifted. Moti Baa's wrinkled hands clenched together, silent joy etched on her face. Even Vinod allowed himself a small, rare nod of approval.
Kiara forced a small, steadying smile.
"We have no time. We need to prepare. Everyone… we can bring him back."
Vinod glanced at her, pride and fear mingling in his eyes.
"You've done it before, Kiara beta. You'll do it again."
Her fingers brushed the edge of the page she had saved, the secret knowledge that carried both hope and a terrible burden.
Outside, the sky darkened unnaturally. The eclipse began.
---
Meanwhile, at Kaal Vansh
The great eclipse swallowed the land in a twilight of shadow and crimson.
Yuvaan rose from the ancient formation, the black and red sigils beneath his feet glowing violently. His presence radiated power, unyielding and merciless.
All the dark forces of Kaal Vansh knelt before him. Not a sound disturbed the stillness. Only the eclipse above, a burning omen in the sky.
Yuvaan's voice cut through the silence, deep and commanding.
"Today, the eclipse bends to my will. The Dark Abyss will open soon."
He raised a hand. Shadows curled and hissed from his fingertips, dark flames licking the air.
"Pangiri will fall. And if the Reevavanshis dare to stand in our way…"
His eyes—black, unrelenting—swept across the kneeling dark army.
"We shall wipe. Them. Out."
The sky deepened to absolute night.
The Dark King had risen, and the world trembled beneath his shadow.
🌑 Reevavanshi Council Hall
The hall was dim, lit only by the flickering torches along the stone walls. Shadows danced across the ancient carvings, as though the ancestors themselves were watching.
Vikram stood at the head of the long table, his hands resting firmly on its polished surface. His face was tight with worry, but his eyes burned with determination. Around him sat the council—elders, strategists, and the most skilled Reevavanshi hunters, each one tense, aware of the magnitude of what was coming.
"The eclipse has begun," Vikram said, voice steady, cutting through the murmurs. "Yuvaan… no. Kaal has fully embraced his powers. And he's preparing the Dark Abyss."
A murmur of concern rippled through the room. Some faces paled; others clenched their fists, silent but ready.
One elder, her voice calm but firm, asked, "How long do we have before he strikes?"
Vikram's jaw tightened. "Hours. Maybe less. The Dark Abyss responds to his will and the lunar convergence. By tonight, if we are not ready, the world itself will tremble."
A younger strategist spoke up, urgency in his tone. "We can't face him blindly. We need a plan. Every hunter, every Reevavanshi must be positioned. We must counter his powers and protect the civilians."
Vikram nodded. "Exactly. Everyone will have a role. Defensive wards around the city. Surveillance to detect his movements. Strike teams on standby. We are not just fighting for our own lives—we are fighting to stop the eclipse from giving him absolute control over the Dark Stronghold."
He paused, eyes scanning the room, letting the weight of his words settle. "I know you are afraid. I know the name 'Kaal' brings dread. But we have something he doesn't. Unity. Strategy. And hope. This is not just about power. This is about preventing annihilation."
Another council member, older and stoic, leaned forward. "And what of Kiara? She isn't Jishwa anymore—she doesn't hold the power to defeat Yuvaan outright. Can she really make a difference in all this chaos?"
Vikram's eyes softened slightly, though the weight of his concern lingered. "Kiara may not be Jishwa, but she is no ordinary mortal. Her courage, her instincts, her determination as a mother… she has faced the impossible before. She has stood against the dark and held firm when even the Reevavanshi faltered. That strength, that resolve, may be exactly what we need to buy time and guide the forces we send tonight."
A hush fell over the hall. The torches flickered as if sensing the tension, shadows stretching like long fingers across the walls.
Vikram took a deep breath. "Prepare your wards. Ready your weapons. Alert every Reevavanshi hunter. Tonight, we march—not blindly, but with a plan. We will face Kaal. We will protect our world. And we will not falter."
The council members nodded, determination hardening their expressions. The quiet hum of readiness began to fill the hall, the slow, deliberate preparation for war. Outside, the eclipse climbed higher, casting a blood-red shadow over the land.
To be continued