The mandap glowed in shades of gold and marigold, petals strewn around like liquid sunlight. Soft chants of the priest resonated through the air, vibrating with an age-old rhythm that made the atmosphere sacred and electric at the same time.
Yuvaan led Kiara forward, his hand brushing against hers, fingers entwining instinctively. Every step was deliberate, every breath measured, as the families watched, the gentle rustle of silks and lehengas punctuating the solemnity.
Above them, hidden in the rafters, the golden serpent slithered silently, eyes gleaming with molten intent. Its gaze never left them. The subtle shimmer of its scales was almost invisible, but Yuvaan had noticed.
He leaned closer to Kiara, his voice barely a whisper. "I told you about my plan… today, I want to lure it out."
Kiara's eyes, warm and steady, met his. "Don't worry," she murmured. "I told Varun. He's ready."
A faint smile curved Yuvaan's lips. Relief mingled with tension. They were surrounded by family, sacred energy, and the watchful eyes of gods and demons alike. But they weren't alone. They had each other.
As the priest's mantras swelled, a subtle heat prickled the nape of Yuvaan's neck. He could feel the holy vibrations seeping into him, slowly sapping the shadowed strength he had carried within for so long.
He whispered again, low and grave. "The mantras… sitting here for this ceremony… it's weakening my dark powers. I feel it."
Kiara's hand tightened around his, her fingers a lifeline. "Then let me be your strength," she said, her voice steady, infused with divine certainty.
Their eyes locked, a silent conversation passing between them—love, trust, and an unspoken promise that no force, not even a golden serpent, could break. The glow from her Trident birthmark flickered faintly beneath her sleeve, like a quiet pulse of power responding to the sacred energy around them.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them. Then, the priest's voice rose, the mantras crescendoing, wrapping around the couple in golden, resonant threads of fate.
And above, the serpent's eyes narrowed, scales glittering ominously, knowing the challenge that awaited.
As the priest continued chanting, a soft, almost haunting melody began to thread through the air. Varun had stepped forward, flute in hand, the notes curling and weaving like liquid gold.
The family paused mid-step, glances exchanged in quiet confusion. Angad, unable to resist teasing, smirked. "Uh… Varun, are you… warding off a serpent with that?"
Varun's eyes glimmered with a hint of mischief and purpose. "Not warding," he said, voice calm yet firm, "I'm summoning."
A shiver ran through the mandap as the sound deepened, echoing against the high ceilings. The golden serpent, hidden in the rafters, stirred. Its eyes gleamed brighter, scales catching the sunlight streaming in. It slithered gracefully along the beams, drawn to the melody.
The air shifted, stirred by invisible wings of wind that seemed to rise from nowhere, curling around the mandap. Petals danced, the priest's chants mingling with the wind's subtle roar.
Yuvaan's gaze hardened, following the serpent's movement. "It's coming," he whispered to Kiara, his hand tightening around hers. "Just like I said—it's drawn to the flute."
Kiara nodded, her Trident mark flickering faintly beneath her sleeve. The wind tousled her hair, the sacred energy of the mandap coiling around them, as if the world itself were holding its breath.
Above them, the serpent's massive form glimmered through the golden haze, the wind wrapping around it like a cloak, as it glided closer, hypnotized by the haunting, commanding notes.
The stage was set. The serpent had been summoned. And the battle, unseen yet imminent, was about to begin.
The wind roared through the mandap, swirling petals and golden dust in a chaotic dance. The family froze, their eyes widening as the air shimmered and twisted.
From the swirling vortex above, the golden serpent emerged in full—a magnificent, terrifying creature with five heads, each hissing and coiling with a life of its own. Its scales glimmered in the sunlight, catching every eye, every breath frozen in awe and fear.
Bhoomi clutched her chest, whispering, "Yuvaan… Kiara…" Her voice trembled as her gaze darted between her son and daughter-in-law, her heart caught in her throat.
Varun's fingers never faltered on the flute, each note piercing through the storm, controlling the serpent's attention, guiding it, bending it slowly toward Yuvaan and Kiara.
Yuvaan's dark eyes glinted, his jaw firm. He took a step forward, Kiara mirroring him, her Trident mark pulsing softly beneath her sleeve. "Enough hiding," he called into the chaos, his voice steady despite the roaring wind. "Show yourself."
The serpent's massive coils shivered as if acknowledging his command. Its heads hissed in unison, but then… the impossible happened. The colossal, terrifying form began to shimmer, the scales dissolving into radiant light, twisting, condensing.
The wind calmed slightly as the serpent slowly took the shape of a woman, ethereal and imposing. She floated above the mandap, the golden glow reflecting in her eyes—but her face remained veiled, her identity concealed in shadows.
A hush fell over the gathered family. Gasps, murmurs, and the faint sound of the priest's interrupted chants filled the room. Everyone stared, heartbeats quickening.
Kiara tightened her grip on Yuvaan's hand, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who… is she?"
Yuvaan's gaze was fixed, unwavering. "I don't know… yet," he said. His hand brushed against hers, grounding them both. "But we'll find out. Together."
The mysterious woman hovered, unmoving, the golden wind of her arrival still swirling, a silent threat and a promise all at once. The mandap, the family, the entire Shetty mansion seemed to hold its breath, caught in the moment before the storm fully revealed itself.