Adrija stepped forward, her aura commanding, eyes gleaming with a subtle, dangerous light. The faint swirl of her Daayan energy was undeniable, yet her posture was calm, unshakable.
"Pralay has already begun," she announced, her voice carrying the authority of someone who had seen far more than her years should allow.
Charvi's heart raced. She took a tentative step closer, voice trembling.
"Adrija… you know Gauri Didi, you know me… we may not be blood sisters, but we've lived as sisters. Don't stop us. If you do… Gauri Didi will die. The world… it will end. Even Mom… Gayatri… she will die."
Adrija tilted her head, a faint, knowing smirk crossing her face.
"When did I ever say I came to stop you?"
Charvi and Pratham Vanshi froze, astonished.
"Then… why are you here?" Charvi asked, breathless.
"I haven't come to stop you," Adrija said firmly, her voice softening slightly, but still carrying that commanding edge only an elder sister could have.
"I came to help you. To help Gauri… to help you… to stop Pralay and that Pralay Daayan, Manmohini."
Relief surged through Charvi. Her shoulders loosened, tears threatening to spill.
"You… you're with us?"
Adrija's smirk widened, a touch playful now.
"Though Mohini made me a Daayan, I am still the eldest sister here. And if the world ends… how will I ever become a model, get rich, marry into a good family…? How will you and Gauri attend my wedding… along with Mom?"
Charvi's tears broke free. She rushed forward and wrapped Adrija in a tight, emotional hug, leaning into the warmth and strength radiating from the eldest.
"We won't let that happen," Charvi whispered, voice choked with emotion.
"We'll stop Pralay… together. As sisters."
Adrija held her close, her hand brushing Charvi's hair back with a rare tenderness, a small smile softening her sharp features.
For a fleeting moment, the red-streaked sky seemed to pause, as if the universe itself acknowledged the bond of the eldest sister standing as a shield for the younger ones—unbreakable, fierce, and unyielding.
The Kothari Mansion's grand hall had fallen into a grim theater of cruelty. Dadi moved gracefully, her feet gliding across the floor in a forced dance, a smile pasted on her face as if to entertain, while her eyes betrayed exhaustion and fear.
The family watched from the sidelines, hearts heavy with sorrow. Veena, Sharda, Yug, Urvashi—they could only stand helplessly, seeing their beloved matriarch toyed with.
And in the shadows, Mohini's laughter echoed like a chorus of malice. She clapped her hands in delight, overjoyed at the sight of Dadi's suffering.
Meanwhile, Vihaan remained seated within the Nakshatra circle, eyes closed, meditating, his expression unreadable. The dark energy swirling around him hummed ominously, untouched by the chaos around him.
Outside the hall, Adrija moved with purpose. She joined the ranks of Daayans but her steps were calculated. No one noticed as she subtly channeled her magic, erasing the protective chakra surrounding the hall—an invisible breach that only the eldest sister could execute.
Inside, Charvi and Pratham Vanshi crept carefully, hearts pounding, making their way toward the temple of power.
Gauri, standing before the hall, shouted, voice ringing with urgency.
"Vihaan! Wake up! Don't let her mock your family!"
Yug and Urvashi noticed the faint shimmer where the protective line had vanished and exchanged a knowing glance. Quietly, they signaled Gauri, and she nodded, determination blazing in her eyes.
Without hesitation, she slipped away, moving silently through the mansion corridors toward the temple. The shadows of the Dayans danced along the walls, but Mohini's attention was entirely on Dadi's coerced performance.
Gauri entered the temple and grabbed a handful of sacred ash. Her hands trembled slightly, but her resolve never wavered. She raced back into the hall. A Dayan moved to manipulate Dadi again—swift as lightning, Gauri slapped the creature aside, breaking its control.
Dadi blinked, dazed, and Gauri pulled her back into the safety of the shadows.
The hall went silent for a heartbeat. Gauri stepped forward, raising her voice, daring.
"Enough, Mohini! Stop tormenting my family! If you want a fight, face me—Jalpanchi—don't hurt anyone else!"
Thunder rumbled in the skies outside, a low growl that vibrated through the mansion walls. The first signs of Pralay—the apocalypse—had begun. The air felt heavy, charged, almost alive.
Mohini's eyes glittered cruelly.
"Ha! Look at you, Gauri… without your Jal Shakti, you are weak, powerless… nothing!"
Gauri squared her shoulders, her voice steady and full of defiance.
"I may have lost my powers, Mohini… but I will not lose my courage. I will stop you, and I will protect my family. Even if I have to fight with nothing but my own heart!"
The hall seemed to hold its breath. Outside, lightning streaked across the red sky, illuminating the determined figure of Gauri standing against the dark tide of Mohini and her Daayans.