Bani reapplied her lipstick and tucked in a loose strand of hair back into her bun. All set! The tell-tale signs of her recent make-out were carefully hidden. She blushed and her cheeks became red.

B: Get a grip Bani! Itna sharmayegi toh kaise chalega? Tera hi toh pati hai.

She took a deep breath and was leaving the room when the red of her cheeks spread all over her body. Scales started to appear and her eyes changed color.

B: Ye kya ho raha hai? Mandir mujhe pukar raha hai! Mere kul se koi meri madat ki guhar laga raha hai mandir me. Mujhe jaana hi hoga.

Bani changed into her naagin form but stilled before leaving. She wrote a note and stuck it on the mirror.

'Veeranshu! Mujhe nag mandir jaana hoga. Mere kul se kissi ne mujhse madad mangi hai.

-B

Bani left post that. She reached the prachin nag temple and stood before her idol.

B: Jai Bholenath! (turns and looks in the temple) Kisne mujhe pukara? Kon hai yahan?

She looked around and found blood on the floor. She ran her finger through it.

B: Ye to kissi nag/naagin ka hi hai. Koi mandir me khayal tha? Isliye mandir ne mujhe pukara. Mujhe dhoodna chahiye.

Bani started to search high and low but couldn't find anything. Bani was quite disappointed when she felt a movement behind her. She quickly turned and saw Jai coming at her with the trident.

J: (thinks: isne toh meri ahat sun li! Shit! Koi baat nahi..mere pass plan B bhi hai.)

Jai kept the trident aside and took something out of his pocket. He quickly broke the vile and a sweet scent spread throughout the temple. He reached Bani and held her.

J: Bani, mujhe dekho. Mai ek nag hoon. Tumhara saccha saathi. Janmo purana saathi. Tum mujhse pyaar krti ho aur mai jo bhi kahunga vo khushi khushi manogi.

B: (Thinks) Ye kya bakwas kr raha hai?!

J: Bani, tum mere liye kuch bhi kr skti ho..

B: (Thinks) Shyd ye mujhe vash me krne ka prayas kr raha hai. Bewakoof ko to meri ring ke baare me pata hi nahi hai. Maybe I should play along to know what he is upto.

Bani started to act like she was in trance. Jai smirked.

J: Wahan baith jao jaakr.

Bani sat where he pointed at.

J: (thinks: ye toh isse seedha maar dene se bhi better hai. Mai pehle isse mujhe apna saathi chune pr majboor karunga aur jo shaktiyan mujhe chorkr uss cheel ki ho gayi thi. Vo wapis meri ho jayenge. Phir mai iss naagin ko maar dunga. Ye better rahega kyunki khaali iski shaktiyan cheen lunga toh bhi vo cheel mujhse zyada strong hoga. Uske pass khud ki shaktiyan toh hongi hi aur to aur iska saathi hone ki bhi rahengi.)

Jai went near her and took her into his arms.

J: Mai tumhara saathi hoon. Tum mujhe sweekaro.

B: (thinks: Isse bada bewakoof kon hoga duniya me! Lekin mai kya karu taki isse shaq na ki mujhe hosh hai)

Before Bani could reply, Mandakini interrupted.

M: Tum ye kya kr rahe ho Jai?

J: Masi beech me mt toko. Iska saathi bankr mujhe meri khoyi hui adi naag ki shaktiyan wapis chahiye.

M: Arey adi naagin ki shaktiyan hi teri ho jayenge to adi naag ki shaktiyon ka lalach kyu kr raha hai. Usse kya fark padega?

J: Zyada koi fark nahi padega pr ek teer se do nishane masi. Pehla toh shaktiyan hai pr doosra yeh ki ye meri saathi, meri sangini ke roop me maregi to socho uss cheel ko kitni takleef hogi. (turns to Bani) aao Adi Naagin.

Jai guided Bani in front of Bholenath's idol and they began to sway. He took the lead and asked her to follow. The tandav of love began.

B: (thinks: Ye tandav to nag/naagin ka joda krta hai. Ye mai nahi hone dungi)

As Jai took a step forward and bowed in front of Bholenath. Bani changed her roop and went ahead to bite him. Jai felt the change and quickly turned, holding her by her throat.

J: Oho! Ye naagin to bohot hi smart nikli. So sad!

B: (Slips out of his hold) Haan! Tujhe kya laga. Mere man pr aise hi koi bhi kaboo kr lega? Adi Naagin hoon mai. Sarvashresth Adi Naagin! Aur Cheelon ke Rajkumar ki Ardhangini. Meri shaktiyon ka andaza tuj jaisa neech naag kabhi nahi laga skta!

Jai groaned in frustration and launched at her. Bani quickly turned her roop as well. Their flexible scales collided as they fought each other. Their mouths snapped at each other.

Jai tried hard but was unable to reach her. Bani wrapped her tale around his tail and thrashed him to a pillar. Jai turned into his human form and groaned in pain.

J: (Thinks: meri shaktiyan toh weak hai. Iska saathi banne ka plan bhi nahi chala. Ab isko uss khass hathiyaar se marne ke siva koi chaara nahi hai)

Jai launched himself at Bani again but carefully this time. He was looking for opening to attack. He pushed her nearest to the trident, as close as he could. Bani and him were fighting. He suddenly faked to attack her right but turned to grab the trident and attacked her with it.

Blood oozed out of a wound while a scream rang through the temple, shaking its grounds.

..........................

Veeranshu Singhania was flying towards the temple at top speed. He had seen Bani's note the moment he entered his room and left immediately.

V: Just be safe gharwali!

He was close to the temple courtyard when he heard a loud cry of pain. Panic shot through his entire being and he flew at top speed towards the temple. He didn't stop a second to think or comprehend, reaching his wife was his only priority. He ran inside.

Veer saw Jai with a trident in his hand and had attacked Bani with it. However, somehow the trident didn't pierce her body. Instead, it stopped inches away from her body and hovered in the air. It was like someone was stopping it from attacking her.

V: Bani! Tum thik ho?

Veer rushed to her and pulled her into his arms. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing his wife was safe in his arms.

B: Mai thik hoon Veeranshu.

Vani turned to glare at Jai but he looked pale. He looked down with pained eyes and saw a dagger had gone through his body and blood was dripping. He lost his footing and almost fell on the floor, he took the support of the trident to keep standing. He turned to see who gave him this fatal wound.

Mandakini stood their proudly with a bloodied dagger in her hands.

J: Masi? A-aap?

M: Haan mai!

J: Kyu?

M: Tune ek nahi, kayi paap kiye hai, Jai. Ya yun kahoon- Hriday!

J: Aah!! Apne ye sahi nahi kiya..

Before Vani could make much sense of what was happening, Jai swung the trident with as much strength he could muster and pierced it through Mandakini. She fell down wounded. Jai spat on her.

J: Traitor!

M: (Says in pain) Mujhe koi fark nahi padta. Hriday, tujhe yaad hai na, tune Nageshwari pr jhuta ilzaam lagane ke liye apne hi dost ko maar diya tha- Dushyant yaad hai na tujhe? Mera beta tha voh!, Aaj maine mere dushyant ki maut ka badla le liya. Sirf tum sbko hi satyug yaad nahi aaya, meri kahani koi nahi jaanta lekin jis din tujhe tera beeta hua kl yaad aya, uss raat mujhe bhi yaad aya ki kaise mere bete ko uske hi dost ne bemaut maara tha...tujhe maarkr mujhe koi gum nahi hai.

J: Maregi to tu! Mai zinda hoon aur aise hi kaafi hoon.

He attacks Bani but Veer gets in front of her. He breaks his attack and punches him in the face.

Bani rushed to Mandakini.

B: Aap thik hai na? Mai kuch krti hoon-

M: (Holds her hand) Nahi adi naagin, mera samay ab aa gaya hai. Ho ske toh mujhe maaf kijiye ga. Aur ek aur baat. Jai koi lgta hai ki vo trishul nagmani se abhimantrit kiya hua hai pr naagmani ka sahi sthan to keval aap, naagrani ji aur mahanagrani ji hi jaan skti hai. Maine ise ek decoy diya tha..

Bani smiled at her and turned to see Jai was brutally beaten to pulp by her husband. Bani saw Jai try to reach out for the trident again but Bani quickly moved and took it from the floor.

B: Ab kya karoge tum? Tumhara ek matra hathiyaar.

J: (Spits blood) Kaisa hathiyaar! Tumhare aar paar to hua nahi!!!

M: (In pain) hahaha...aur ye gadha sbse shaktishali banega...

J: Chup kr

B: Chup kr tu bewakoof! Ye prachin nag mandir vo sthan hai jahan mujhe vardaan milla tha, mai rakshak hoon iski aur sevika bhi. Tujhe lgta hai mere hi Bholenath ke mandir me, unke hi trishul se mujhpr vaar kiya jaa skta hai?..Ye soch bhi kaise liya...Iss mandir me mera koi bhi kuch nahi bigar skta.

M: haha..aur issi liye maine tumhe Adi naagin pr bahar humla krne ka plan banana nahi diye..

Jai growled at her and knew he was trapped now. Veer grabbed his collar and thrashed him around.

B: Tumne bohot paap kiye hai Hriday. Kalyug me Jai bankr bhi tum sudhre nahi. Mere mata pita ke qatil ho tum! Uss morni ke saath bhi tumne mujhe maarne ki sazish ki. Iss naag mandir me ek naagin ka khoon bahaya hai tumne Mandakini ji pr vaar krke. In sbki ek hi saza hai. Sazaye maut!

Veer nodded at her decision and stopped thrashing Jai. Jai was already bloodied and his face was beyond recognition. He stood trembling near the temple corridor. Bani's eyes blazed red and she simmered down to finish his tale and bring her satyug's tale to a full circle. Before she could reach him, Jai's went off balance and tripped down the window.

V: Aye Dhabewaale!!!

Vani saw him fall.

V: Mai isse pakad kr lata hoon..

Before they could decide further, Mandikini coughed. Vani ran to her.

V: App? Bani inka kya kare?

B: Mai inka ilaaj dhoonti hoon.. Panditji kahan hai..

M: Unhe bheetar ke kaksh me band kr diya hai Jai ne..

B: Aap himmat rakhiye..

Bani went to release the captives.

M: (to Veer) Rajkumar...

V: Uhh...Ji?

M: Aap aur naagin humesha khush rahe. Unka dhyaan rakhiyega..

Veer smiled and nodded at once. Before Bani could return, Mandakini passed away with a smiled on her face.

~~~~~~~

Vani climbed down the temple stairs slowly. They had just performed Mandakini's last rites and spoken to the temple priests. They offered prayers to Bholenath. Well, Bani did and Veer stared at her.

It was only then when they realized Veer was actually inside the temple!

Flashback

B: Ye kaise hua!?!?

V: Kya?!

B: Tum mandir me ho?

V: Arey haan! Maine to realize hi nahi kiya. Tum musibat me dikhi aur mujhe aur kuch soojha hi nahi..

P: (smiles) ye isliye hai kyunki apne inse shaadi ki hai. Inhe apna saathi chun liya hai

Flashback ends

V: Sweetheart?

B: Veeru?

V: Ghar chale..

B: Chal to rahe hai..

V: I know, but I was talking about my way..

He winked and pulled her to him.

V: My style gharwali.

Saying this, he flew away with her.

...........................

Vani's desity seems complete. Jai is gone and they have united. As they gear up for some much called for celebreation I want you to think if Jai is dead or not? 

Loads of Love
❤❤❤