Author's POV
After the lights dimmed and the strange presence faded, Maajaan fell into an uneasy silence. The house stood just as it always had, with its creaking wooden floors, crooked walls, and the faint smell of old incense trapped in the corners. Yet, something felt undeniably off. It wasn't fear that hung in the air, but awareness, as if the house itself had opened one eye to keep watch. The girls gathered in the so-called war room, which, at that moment, didn't resemble a place for strategy at all. Blankets were scattered across the floor, snack wrappers lay abandoned near empty bowls, notebooks were halfway open, and wires from Aravali's unfinished gadgets lay dangerously close to Shiva's pile of food. Sita's necklace rested on the table, glowing faintly, its cracked surface pulsing as if struggling to breathe. Iaa sat nearby, staring at her hands as a weak, flickering light danced at her fingertips. Shiva leaned against the couch, eating chips like she hadn't had a meal in days, while Aravali paced the room, stepping over cushions without noticing, her mind clearly elsewhere. In the center, Hari stood holding a massive chart that no one had asked him to bring.
Hari tried to take control of the situation by clapping his hands and telling everyone to focus. His authority was challenged immediately when Shiva interrupted to ask if there was any Maggi left. Her reasoning was that danger burned calories, which justified her hunger. Hari looked ready to question every life choice he had made, while Iaa, without looking up, ordered everyone to sit down and stop acting ridiculous. Surprisingly, they listened, and the room quieted enough for Hari to spread his chart across the table, carefully avoiding the snack bowl Aravali had already set on one corner.
Hari's POV
The moment I laid the chart down, I knew this briefing had to succeed because whatever was coming next couldn't be treated lightly. I explained that the location marked on the map was the mansion and that the owner, eager to unload it, planned to sell it as soon as it was cleared. When Shiva asked who would buy such a place, I told her the truth—people with more money than sense. As I pointed out the layout, I said the spirits inside weren't violent yet, but they weren't harmless either. They had structure, roles, and order, which meant someone had taught them to function that way. When I mentioned that the presence controlling them was using an old signature, Iaa immediately understood and spoke Varkash's name aloud. I didn't correct her because there was no point pretending. The mood in the room shifted instantly; humor evaporated as the weight of the name settled over us.
Iaa's POV
As soon as Hari confirmed it, my hand reacted instinctively. A dull glow spread across my fingers, warm but unstable. It wasn't painful, but it was undeniably awake. This wasn't random anymore. My power responded to intent, names, and places tied to him. I clenched my fist and forced myself to focus on the chart instead of the fear creeping into my chest. The mansion wasn't just haunted; it was organized. Whoever built it had expected something dangerous, and that realization made my skin prickle. When I suggested that someone must have taught the spirits to organize themselves, Hari agreed, and that confirmation made everything seem deliberate in the worst way. Varkash wasn't causing chaos for fun. He was planning something, and that scared me more than any screaming ghost ever could.
Sita's POV
I reached for my necklace instinctively, hoping against reason that it would respond this time. The moment my fingers touched it, the glow flickered weakly and then dimmed, as if its last bit of strength had finally given up. Panic rose in my chest as I whispered the old words under my breath, trying again and again, but nothing happened. It felt like screaming underwater, helpless and unheard. I quietly admitted that I couldn't help like this and that if something went wrong, I wouldn't be able to protect anyone. Shiva crouched in front of me, her usual chaos replaced with unexpected softness. She told me I wasn't useless just because the necklace was broken. Aravali added that I was still the one keeping them alive, and even though I smiled, the fear didn't completely fade. The necklace pulsed once more before going completely still, and I knew fixing it was no longer optional.
Aravali's POV
I hated silence because it gave my thoughts too much space to wander, and I definitely didn't want to think about Sheerghat or quiet libraries or lingering astronomy talks. To distract myself, I grabbed my notebook and flipped through pages filled with half-finished designs, symbols, and unnamed devices. One sigil kept repeating, the same as the one from Sheerghat and the same one etched into our charms. When I said it was connected to the mansion, Hari asked how I knew, and I explained that it appeared in records related to protective design rather than offensive magic. That meant the mansion was meant to contain something dangerous, not just survive it. The realization settled heavily in the room, and Shiva muttered that it sounded like a trap. Hari didn't disagree.
Shiva's POV
I couldn't sit still any longer, so I stood and suggested scouting the place first, confident I could handle whatever awaited us. Hari shut that down immediately, his serious tone making me pause. When he said this wasn't a fight that could be won through brute force and that mistakes wouldn't get second chances, I felt something unfamiliar tighten in my chest. Fear, maybe. Or respect. Either way, I sat back down, surprising everyone, including myself.
Author's POV
The decision to move forward came slowly but surely. They would go, but not recklessly. They would plan, pack carefully, and prepare for the worst. As they dragged out bags and laid supplies across the floor, the house creaked softly around them, not in warning, but in acknowledgment. Hari glanced upward, his expression darkening slightly, and said that something knew they were on the move again. Somewhere far away, something listened and something smiled.