The Rang Mahal no longer felt like a home. It was a cage — one that held secrets darker than Anaya had ever imagined.
But the moment she heard Aarav's voice from the shattered well reflection, she understood: the past was not done with her.
✦ Breaking Dawn, Breaking Barriers
Dawn crept into her room, but sleep evaded her.
She clutched the diary and the rune-marked parchment, determined to understand the binding spell.
The ancient script was cryptic, but one thing was clear — the spell required a willing heart to break the chains, a soul connected by blood and love.
Was she that soul?
✦ A Visit to the Village Elder
With trembling hands, Anaya sought out Baba Hariram, the oldest villager and keeper of legends.
His hut was filled with dried herbs, burning incense, and walls covered with faded yantras.
"Anaya," he greeted her, eyes piercing yet kind.
She showed him the rune.
He frowned deeply.
"This is no ordinary spell. It's a curse born from betrayal, jealousy, and broken promises. It traps the spirit between worlds. To undo it, you must face the shadow of your own blood."
"Which blood?" Anaya asked, heart pounding.
"Your father's."
✦ Confronting Rajiv Again
That evening, Anaya returned to her father, resolute.
"Tell me everything," she demanded. "About the night Meera died. About Aarav. About the spell."
Rajiv's facade cracked.
He confessed — a tale of ambition, fear, and family honor twisted into violence.
Meera had tried to protect Aarav with the binding spell, but Rajiv and his brothers had intervened. Aarav was captured, painted into the mural alive, condemned to eternal suffering.
Meera was silenced — imprisoned by her own family's lies.
And Anaya? She was the last thread — the hope to break the curse or bury the truth forever.
✦ Psychological Torment: A Mind Split
As Rajiv's confession hung in the air, Anaya felt a searing pain in her temple.
Visions flashed: Aarav's eyes begging, Meera's tears staining the stone walls, her own reflection splitting into two — one calm, one wild.
The spell was warping her mind, merging past and present.
She was becoming a living vessel for the Rang Mahal's silent legacy.
✦ The Ritual Begins
Guided by Baba Hariram's cryptic instructions, Anaya prepared the ritual to release Aarav's soul.
She lit marigold candles, arranged sacred symbols, and recited ancient chants.
As the night deepened, the air thickened with tension.
The mural glowed faintly.
A shadow moved behind the painted figures.
Aarav's voice whispered urgently.
✦ The Ultimate Test: Love or Revenge?
The final lines of the diary echoed in her mind:
"Only love can set him free. But love must be willing to forgive."
Could Anaya forgive her family's cruelty? Could she embrace a love that transcended death and betrayal?
Or would she be consumed by the darkness, trapped alongside Aarav and Meera forever?
The Murmur of the Walls
As Anaya reached out to touch the mural, the Rang Mahal trembled violently.
Walls seemed to breathe.
Voices whispered from every corner.
And through the shadows, a figure stepped forward — not Aarav.
A man with eyes as cold as stone.
"Welcome home, Anaya," he said, voice dripping with menace.
"Your legacy is just beginning."