Kiara stood in the Trishanku realm, her spectral form trembling as the last chain snapped. The shockwave rippled through the half-world, causing the darkness around her to peel away like fading smoke.
The doorway of light widened.
And for the first time since she fell unconscious, she felt something warm brush against her—
a whisper of breath, a hand reaching, a heartbeat calling her home.
Yuvaan's voice.
Fragile. Breaking. Barely there.
"Kiara… come back… please…"
Her eyes filled.
"Yuvaan… I'm coming."
She took one step—then another.
The chains dissolved completely.
And as she ran toward the light, her entire form burst into a shower of golden sparks—
---
THE MORTAL PLANE — THE LAST MOMENT OF THE RITUAL
The Jeevan Mani in the crystal shell suddenly flared—
from a soft blue glow to a violent, blinding radiance.
Everyone shielded their eyes.
Vikram whispered in awe, "The exchange has begun…"
Inside the circle, Yuvaan let out a sharp gasp.
The last thread of power tore out of him and shot into the forming Mani.
His body jerked—
Then slumped forward, face hitting the glowing floor.
"Yuvaan!" Bhoomi screamed, trying to rush in, but Kajal held her tightly.
The Mani pulsed brighter.
Brighter.
Brighter—
Until the entire workshop was drowned in white light.
Kiara's soul, wrapped in golden sparks, struck the Mani, merging with its radiance—
And in the next heartbeat—
The gem burst.
A silent explosion of shimmering dust spread through the room like falling snowfall.
The glow sank into Kiara's body.
---
KIARA RETURNS
Her fingers twitched.
Just once.
Barely noticeable.
But Bhoomi saw it.
Kajal felt it.
Vikram's breath caught.
Kiara inhaled sharply—her first real breath in hours.
Her eyes flew open, glowing faintly as the last remnants of the Mani's power sank into her veins.
She gasped, hand clenching the bedsheet.
"M… mama?" she whispered weakly.
Bhoomi broke down, falling over her sister's body, sobbing into her hair.
"K-Kiara… Kiara, you're alive… my baby, you're alive…!"
Kajal cupped her daughter's face, trembling uncontrollably.
Her tears fell like warm rain.
But Kiara's pupils suddenly widened—like she remembered something vital.
Her lips parted.
"Yu… vaan…"
Slowly—shakily—she turned her head.
And what she saw shattered her heart.
---
YUVAAN FALLS
Outside the ritual circle, Yuvaan lay motionless on the cold floor, body limp, lashes still, his forehead touching the glowing symbols that were slowly fading to ash.
His skin was pale.
His breath almost nonexistent.
The price was already taking hold.
Kiara tried to sit up, her voice breaking in panic.
"Yuvaan! YUVAAN!"
But her limbs were still weak—her body too newly revived.
She couldn't move fast enough.
Bhoomi caught her shoulders gently. "Kiara—wait—don't strain—"
But Kiara sobbed, pushing feebly against her grip.
"No—let me go—he called me back—he saved me—Yuvaan… wake up…"
Her tears fell uncontrollably.
The irony twisted the air—
She had returned to life at the exact moment he began to fade.
The exchange was complete.
One heart revived.
One heart silenced.
And as Kiara reached her trembling hand toward him from across the room, Yuvaan's body gave a small jerk—
Then stilled completely.
Kiara slid down beside Yuvaan, her trembling hands cradling his face. His skin felt cold—too cold—and the sight of his still lashes shattered something fragile inside her.
"Yuvaan," she whispered, her voice cracking, "please… please don't do this to me. Not now. Not after you brought me back. Wake up… look at me… please…"
Her tears fell freely, dripping onto his cheeks, his brow, his unmoving lips.
She pressed her forehead gently to his, sobbing so softly it sounded like a prayer.
"You promised you'd never leave me alone," she whispered. "So don't. Don't leave me…"
And then—
One tear, heavier than the others, slid down and struck the center of his chest.
The effect was immediate, though so delicate at first that no one understood what was happening. A faint glow spread from where her tear touched him—warm, golden, familiar, as if Kiara's revived soul was recognizing the one who had saved it.
Yuvaan's fingers twitched.
Kiara froze.
"Yuvaan…?"
Another breath—shallow, but real—lifted his chest.
Then his lashes fluttered open, unfocused at first, as though he were waking from a dream too deep to escape.
Her breath hitched in disbelief.
"Yuvaan…" She cupped his face again, sobbing his name.
He blinked slowly, voice barely a rustle. "Kiara… why are you crying…? I'm… I'm right here…"
She didn't answer.
She simply threw her arms around him, pulling him into her trembling embrace.
He let out a soft, pained exhale and held her back, resting his forehead against her shoulder as though anchoring himself to her existence.
Around them, relief burst like sunlight.
Bhoomi broke down sobbing.
Vikram allowed his shoulders to sag for the first time in hours.
Varun laughed shakily, wiping his face.
Chandrika and Susheela clutched each other.
Even Angad looked away to hide the sting in his eyes.
And Kajal…
Kajal stood frozen.
Her golden serpent aura dimmed completely, replaced by something far heavier—remorse.
Guilt.
Fear.
Love.
She stared at her daughter and the boy she had tried to kill, realizing how close she had come to losing everything.
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"Kiara… Yuvaan… I…"
Words refused to form, breaking apart on her tongue.
Kiara pulled away from Yuvaan and looked toward her mother—eyes soft, forgiving, despite everything.
Kajal's breath hitched. "I was so blinded… so lost in old hatred… that I almost destroyed the only thing I had left. I almost lost you."
Kiara rose unsteadily—Yuvaan helping her—and walked straight into her mother's arms.
Kajal crushed her daughter to her chest, sobbing into her hair.
"I'm sorry," she whispered over and over. "I'm done living in the past, Kiara. I can't lose you. Not again. Not for vengeance. Not for anything."
Kiara held her just as tightly, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I love you, Mom…"
"I love you too," Kajal breathed, her voice shaking. "More than my life."
It was a moment that healed more than one wound.
The family watched, some silently crying, some smiling through tears, as the storm finally broke and peace settled around them.
And then—
"Pandit ji Said" Vikram cleared his throat softly.
"The auspicious time… is passing…"
Yuvaan blinked, dazed.
Kiara laughed under her breath, wiping her eyes.
After everything—death, rebirth, sacrifice, forgiveness—life nudged them forward again.
Yuvaan took Kiara's hand gently.
"Come on," he whispered, smiling softly. "Let's finish what we started."
Hand in hand, they walked toward the mandap.
The sacred fire glowed with a warmth that felt newly blessed, as if recognizing the love that had survived even the jaws of death.
They took their vows—slow, steady, eyes locked, fingers interlaced as if they feared letting go even for a second.
When Yuvaan filled Kiara's maang, her eyes glistened with happiness.
When Yuvaan tied the wedding chain around her neck, he leaned into her warmth like she was his entire world.
The family gathered around them, glowing with joy.
Bhoomi hugged them both.
Kajal rested a hand on their heads with quiet acceptance.
Varun cracked jokes through tears.
Chandrika fussed over Kiara until Yuvaan pulled her close protectively.
And finally—
They posed for a family picture.
One frame.
One moment.
Every face smiling—some with relief, some with pride, some with gratitude.
But all together.
The story was far from over.
But for the first time in a long time…
The storm had cleared.
And love—once broken, once bleeding—stood tall again.