By the time dawn's first light brushed the horizon, the rain had faded into mist. The villagers, smiling and soaked with joy, led the two couples up a winding path toward the ancient Ancestral Temple — a shrine said to be as old as the mountains themselves.
The bells chimed softly in the morning air, and the fragrance of wet earth mingled with incense drifting from the sanctum.
Vihaan walked beside Gauri, silent and withdrawn. His mind was a battlefield. Every step toward the temple felt like walking through fire — Sarvansh's voice growled within him, "Don't go closer… temples weaken us."
But another part of him — the Vihaan who once loved her without shadows — whispered, "Keep walking."
Gauri glanced at him, sensing the storm within. His jaw was tight, his eyes flickering crimson for a moment before softening again. That single heartbeat of vulnerability melted something in her.
Ahead of them, Yuvaan and Kiara followed the villagers' lead. The temple bells' echo stirred a flicker of unease in Yuvaan's chest — he knew what this meant. Crossing that threshold would strip him of his powers for twelve long hours, leaving him human — fragile, exposed.
He stopped midway on the steps, looking at Kiara. "If I enter, I'll lose what I am," he murmured.
Kiara smiled faintly. "You knew this already still you decided to come —now you just have to follow your heart."
Her words silenced his fear. Without another thought, he swept her into his arms. Kiara gasped, clutching his shoulder as their eyes met — an unspoken challenge, an unspoken promise.
Gauri turned just in time to see them — a shadow of wistfulness in her gaze — before Vihaan suddenly lifted her too. She froze, startled, as his grip tightened around her.
"Don't mistake this for affection," he muttered, his voice rough — though his heartbeat betrayed him. "You wanted me to prove I'm not afraid. Watch me."
Gauri said nothing — only stared into his eyes as the wind brushed their faces, the steps echoing underfoot.
Two couples ascended together — one bound by destiny, the other by defiance.
Yuvaan felt his power drain with each step, a faint shimmer of darkness leaving his veins. His jaw clenched, but he kept climbing.
Vihaan, meanwhile, trembled — Sarvansh's presence thrashing within him. "You can't walk into that sanctum… it will destroy us both!" the dark voice hissed.
But Gauri's presence steadied him — the warmth of her faith pushing him forward until they reached the summit.
The villagers cheered softly as both couples stepped into the courtyard of the temple. Yuvaan and Kiara exchanged respectful bows.
"Thank you,it was such a nice pleasure meeting you both, and I hope we meet again," Gauri said warmly to them.
"The feeling is mutual Gauri,even i pray that destiny cross paths again"Kiara responded with a warm smile.
Yuvaan gave a faint smile. "We'll see you soon.Right now there's a family ritual we need to complete."
Gauri nodded, watching as Yuvaan and Kiara disappeared toward the eastern wing of the temple. But just as she turned to face Vihaan again, his body tensed — and before she could react, he collapsed.
"Vihaan!" she cried, catching him before he hit the stone floor. His skin was cold; his eyes flickered between red and black, the eternal war raging inside.
Gauri cradled his head in her lap, her tears spilling freely. "Bholenath… please. Don't take him from me again," she whispered. "If my love is true, give him life."
Her gaze fell to the sacred vermillion placed before the idol. Without hesitation, she took a pinch and smeared it across her own forehead — a mark of devotion, of surrender.
Then, driven by divine fervor, Gauri rose to her feet. Her anklets jingled against the temple floor as she began a tandav — a dance of fury, pain, and prayer. Each step echoed with her heartbeat; each spin radiated light that defied the lingering darkness in Vihaan's soul.
The air grew heavy — power and love entwining into one.
Meanwhile, in another part of the temple, Yuvaan and Kiara knelt before the priest, the ritual fire crackling softly.
Yuvaan winced, clutching his chest as the last trace of his power ebbed away, yet he said nothing. Kiara noticed — the flicker of pain he tried to hide — and her heart softened.
The priest smiled. "Now, son, mark her as yours once more. Fill your wife's hairline with vermillion — and seal your bond under divine sight."
Yuvaan hesitated only for a heartbeat before dipping his fingers into the red powder. As he filled Kiara's hairline, the world seemed to still — the temple bells chiming in sacred rhythm.
Kiara's eyes filled with tears — not of sorrow, but of something she'd long forgotten to feel: hope.
And somewhere nearby, beneath the same roof, Gauri's tandav reached its peak — her cry merging with the divine chant.
Two loves — one mortal, one divine — bound by vermillion and faith, rising together beneath the dawn that promised both redemption and ruin.
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