ep 45

The ground trembled beneath their feet, dust falling from the ancient stone ceiling as the walls of the temple seemed to groan under the weight of the dark magic being unleashed. Kiara's heart raced as she watched Aaryan's hand move closer to the amulet, the eerie glow intensifying with every second.

"Aryan!" she screamed, but the words felt drowned out by the overwhelming power surging through the room.

Aryan rushed forward, his eyes blazing with determination, but before he could reach Aaryan, a barrier of dark energy erupted around the pedestal, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard, gasping for breath as the dark energy pulsed in the chamber.

Shiv pulled out his dagger, his expression grim. "We need to break the barrier before he completes the ritual!"

Kiara's mind raced. She couldn't let this happen, not after everything they had been through. They had come too far to fail now. But as she took a step toward the barrier, she felt something—something deep within her stirring. It was as if the artifacts they had collected, now hidden safely in her bag, were calling out to her.

Without thinking, she reached inside the bag and pulled out the mangalsutra. The moment her fingers closed around it, she felt a surge of warmth spread through her body, as though the ancient necklace had been waiting for this exact moment.

Kiara turned to Aryan, who was struggling to stand. "The artifacts… They're connected somehow. We can use them to fight him!"

Aryan's eyes met hers, and he nodded, understanding instantly. He reached for the bracelet, the one that had led them here, and slipped it onto his wrist. As soon as he did, the ground beneath them steadied, and the oppressive energy in the room seemed to lessen, just slightly.

Aaryan, sensing the shift, turned to face them, his eyes narrowing in fury. "You think you can stop me with those trinkets? You have no idea what you're dealing with!"

He raised his hand, and the amulet began to float above the pedestal, glowing brighter and brighter, filling the chamber with an unbearable light.

"We need to act now!" Shiv shouted, lunging forward and slashing at the barrier with his dagger. The blade cut through the dark energy, but the barrier held firm, only cracking slightly.

Aryan, his breathing labored, pushed himself up and joined Shiv, using all his strength to strike at the barrier with his fists. "We can't let him finish the ritual!"

But Kiara knew that physical strength wouldn't be enough. She could feel it—the connection between the artifacts, the power they held, and the responsibility that came with them. She stepped forward, holding the mangalsutra high, and channeled every ounce of energy she could muster into it.

The necklace glowed, its golden light cutting through the darkness. The energy within the room shifted again, and the barrier around the pedestal began to waver.

Aaryan's eyes widened as he felt the power of the artifacts challenging him. "No… this can't be happening!"

The barrier shattered.

A sudden burst of light erupted from the center of the room, and everything went still for a moment. Then, before anyone could react, Aaryan lunged toward the amulet, grabbing it in desperation.

But it was too late.

The energy he had summoned backfired, and a deafening roar filled the chamber. The dark power he had tried to control surged out of the amulet, enveloping him in a whirlwind of magic. His scream echoed through the temple as the dark force consumed him, pulling him into the amulet's core.

And then, silence.

Kiara fell to her knees, the mangalsutra falling from her hands. Aryan rushed to her side, pulling her into his arms. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, her chest heaving with exhaustion. "It's over. We stopped him."

Shiv approached the pedestal, his eyes wide with disbelief as he examined the now dormant amulet. "He's… gone. The curse is sealed away."

Aryan helped Kiara to her feet, his heart still racing. "We need to get out of here."

They turned to leave, but just as they stepped toward the exit, a low rumble shook the ground again. This time, it wasn't from the magic, but from the very temple itself.

"The place is collapsing!" Shiv shouted, grabbing their hands and pulling them toward the door.

They ran, the walls crumbling around them, the ancient temple finally giving way to the forces they had unleashed. Rocks fell from the ceiling, dust filling the air as the ground shook beneath them. But they didn't stop running, pushing forward with everything they had.

As they burst through the entrance and into the forest, the temple collapsed behind them, a cloud of dust rising into the sky. They stumbled to a halt, panting for breath, as the last remnants of the ancient structure disappeared into the earth.

For a long moment, none of them spoke, the enormity of what had just happened sinking in. They had stopped Aaryan. They had sealed away the curse. But they also knew that the battle was far from over. The artifacts still held power, and as long as they existed, the danger would never truly be gone.

Aryan turned to Kiara, his eyes filled with both relief and concern. "We've stopped him, but… what now?"

Kiara took a deep breath, looking at the mangalsutra in her hand. "We find out the truth. About the artifacts, about what really happened in the past. We can't let this happen again."

Aryan nodded, his grip tightening on her hand. "Whatever it takes. We'll finish what we started."

And as they stood there, watching the dust settle over the ruins of the temple, they knew that their journey was far from over. The battle for the future had just begun.