Gauri's eyes blazed as she stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Dadi.
"How dare you disrespect our elders?" she shouted, voice echoing through the hall.
The Dayan laughed, a cruel, chilling sound.
"Elders? They are nothing but weaklings. Murderers hiding behind their family bonds," she sneered.
Gauri's eyes blazed with fierce determination as she stepped in front of Dadi and the family.
"So you claim to be powerful, Laksha?" she shouted, her voice echoing like thunder. "Then prove it! Strike me, not the elders. Show me your strength—don't hide behind the weak!"
Laksha's dark aura rippled, swirling like living shadows around her. A cruel smile curved her lips.
"Bold words for a powerless girl. Do you truly think your defiance matters? These elders are fragile, broken… easily crushed."
Gauri's fists clenched, her chest rising with every breath, her gaze unwavering.
"I dared you! I will face you. Attack me, if you're so proud of your power—but I will not let you harm those who raised me, loved me, and protected me!"
Laksha's eyes glinted with malicious delight.
"Hah! Such fire… so reckless. Very well, little Jalpanchi. You ask for a challenge. Let's see if courage alone can withstand darkness."
Mohini's laughter cut through the hall, sharp and echoing.
"Excellent! If you defeat Laksha… one of your family lives. Fail… and all perish. Choose wisely, child of water."
Dadi's hands shook, voice trembling as she pleaded.
"Gauri… please… I cannot bear to see you hurt…"
Gauri knelt briefly, clasping her hands.
"Bless me, Dadi… give me the strength to protect them all."
Dadi's whispered prayer poured into Gauri, a surge of warmth and courage. She rose, fists glowing faintly, standing ready as Laksha and the other Dayans circled her like shadows hungry for blood.
The storm outside howled, echoing the fury and resolve of a girl who refused to bow, even against the dark.
Veena's eyes widened as realization struck her.
"She's distracting them… giving Pratham Vanshi and Charvi a chance to reach the temple!"
Yug, moving carefully along the side corridor, finally slipped out to join them. As he reached Charvi, their hands found each other instinctively, and they hugged tightly. Relief, fear, and love mixed in a heartbeat.
Pratham Vanshi's voice broke the tension, calm and commanding.
"Yug… we must reach the temple and retrieve the Pratham Jaal."
Yug frowned, glancing around.
"Pratham Jaal… in our temple? How is that possible?"
Pratham Vanshi's gaze turned solemn, almost distant.
"Whenever a doomsday begins in any generation, the gods themselves send the solution to the house where the evil originates. Mohini and Vihaan were born here, in this house. Therefore, the answer… the Pratham Jaal… resides within these walls."
Charvi's eyes widened, a mixture of awe and urgency shining in them.
"Then we must hurry… every second counts."
As they moved, Gauri squared her shoulders, her fists glowing faintly with inner resolve. She was ready. The Dayans circled her like wolves, but she would not falter.
Outside, the storm raged on, echoing the chaos within. Pralay had begun—but hope still lived in the hearts of those determined enough to fight.
Gauri's hands shook, but her eyes burned with determination as she gripped a broken shard of mirror. The jagged edge reflected the flickering flames of the nakshatra circle, turning them into a thousand tiny suns of defiance.
"You'll have to do better than that, Laksha!" she shouted, launching herself forward.
Laksha's laughter rang cold through the hall. Her long black hair whipped like serpents, and with a flick, a magical hairpin shot toward Gauri like a dagger. Gauri barely dodged, the pin grazing her shoulder, leaving a shallow burn.
"Do not underestimate me, little Jalpanchi," Laksha hissed. "Mohini commands me to maim you, but your life… that will be Sarvansh's reward."
Gauri's breath came in sharp gasps. Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead, but her gaze stayed fixed. She had to survive, she had to.
---
Scene – Temple: Pratham Vanshi's Revelation
Elsewhere, Charvi, Yug, and Pratham Vanshi finally reached the temple. The air was thick with divine energy, the scent of incense curling like living threads around them.
Pratham Vanshi knelt before the ancient Shiva idol, her hands raised in prayer.
"Show us the way, Lord. Show us the solution to save this house… and all who dwell within it."
A brilliant light erupted. From the shadows emerged a divine bow—glimmering and immense, reminiscent of Pinaka Dhanush, Dev Dhanush. Beside it appeared the Pratham Jaal, glowing with celestial energy.
Yug stepped forward, eyes wide in awe.
"This… this is the Pratham Jaal? But what about the bow?"
Pratham Vanshi's gaze was grave.
"You may take the Pratham Jaal, but the Dev Dhanush cannot be lifted. Not by a hundred men, not by a thousand. Only the divine may wield it."
Yug chuckled nervously, flexing his muscles.
"Well… let's see if I can be the first!"
He bent down and strained, but the bow didn't budge an inch. Sweat beaded his forehead as he straightened, shaking his head in defeat.
"Okay… maybe divine is a bit beyond me."
---
Scene – Gauri's Resolve
Back in the hall, Gauri's body was battered, bruised, but her eyes shone with determination. Laksha's attacks came fast and furious—spinning hair, shards of dark energy—but Gauri dodged, ducked, and blocked with her jagged mirror.
Through the chaos, her gaze fell on Vihaan, still lost in the nakshatra ritual, his face a mask of cold power.
Memories of their past flickered through her mind—laughter in the rain, shared secrets, stolen moments of warmth. A sudden clarity struck her: she didn't need to overpower Laksha. She could outsmart her, use wit and cunning, manipulate the battlefield, and protect her family.
As Mohini's voice rang out, demanding more suffering, Gauri clenched her jaw, raising the mirror shard like a banner of defiance.
"I won't let you break us," she whispered to herself. "Not my family. Not Vihaan. Not this world."
The storm outside raged in sync with her heartbeat, and Gauri braced herself—ready to fight not just for survival, but for love, family, and hope.