I know I publish updates only onWednesday but I thought amidst the sad news of Naagin 5 ending earlier than we anticipated, Veer still suffering from amnesia when their are just two episodes left and finally, the news that they might die (I don't want to believe this till I can *fingers crossed*), I thought to update early. 

AND, I have also updated a bonus chapter in Vanilicious Christmas and Naagin 5 one shots (I know, three updates!!) I felt extra motivated today. These two are Vani romance stories unlike this one which is predominantly adventure and action. 

Recap: Jai and his team tried to kill the Singhanias and weaken Bani using Cheel guru-Shukla's knowledge. However, they did not consider the fact that their information could be wrong and not all Singhanias would be home. Thus, the family survived the attack but Balwant is injured and Monil lost his life. Jai gets fooled by the Dakinis and believes everyone died and Bani has escaped with Meera. Vani and Daksh plan to go track the ancient Cheel-guru while Pawan and Ponky leave to gain more knowledge about jadibuttis as a precaution. Tapish leaves the city and goes in a hide out with Balwant and Meera.

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

V: Bani!!!!

Veer caught Bani as she was about to slip from a narrow road into the deep valley. They had reached the mountain range via a friend's private jet, they did not want to risk using their own and anyone getting suspicious. Locating this pahadi had not been difficult but the moment they reached it, they felt like the paths were getting riskier and journey, more difficult.

V: Careful! Please...

B: Haan...mai thik hoon...Hum roop kyu nahi badal lete?

D: Kyunki ye ek khas pahadi hai. Yahan koi bhi prakar ki shakti kaam nahi aati....iske bare me maine kuch to padha tha yahan ane se pehle...ki jo shakti sach me aapki hai, sirf wahi kaam ayegi...aisa kuch to tha.

V: To kya cheel mai udhar me bana hoon? I was born with it!...ugh..

B: Ab ye sb nahi sochte and let's just continue.

Bani tried to motivate them to move forward instead of cribbing about the lost powers but she herself wondered what Daksh's readings meant. They walked for a long time.

V: abhi cheel bankr ek circle lagata and door se hi dikh jaati gufa!

D: Bhai, ab yaha to hum roop nahi badal skte and ane se pehle circle kiya tha na, top pr hi hai

V: Haan to hume udd kr wahi land krna tha direct.

D: aur phir hume guru darshan hi nahi dete, humari pookar nahi sunte

B: Chup kr dono, ye krte, vo krte.....abhi toh hum aa gaye hai na paidal, so chup chap chalo.

Bani showed them her eyes and even though it did not flash red, both gulped and continued without further banter.
........................

Ponky and Pawan reached the beautiful Munnar. They met with an old friend and told them their situation. A part of their work was to gather support. They were yet to know how many nags were with Jai. Hell! They were unsure about Shukla's support as well. Though the information had reached them, there was no guarantee that Shukla had not managed to convince and gather a few. So, they met with old friends and people indebted under their favour. They held powerful positions in the clan, them supporting the prince would mean power.

Pawan: Thanks Felix. Mujhe pata that um sath doge.

F: Don't embarrass me Pawan. We go long back and anyone who threatens our prince, threatens us all.

Pawan smiled while Ponky continued to talk to Felix's daughter, Maria. She was interested in herbs and old cheel literature. Infact, her great grandmother passed her a lot of invaluable knowledge.

Ponky: Maria, So this is how bhabhi explained the mist. What do you think exactly was used and iska koi tor hai kya?

M: Ponky? Right? Haan, toh mai keh rahi thi, I have always been interested in these things but I really have to discovered everything and my knowledge is very limited compared to that man you mentioned. However, I do know someone who can help us.

Ponky: Who?

Maria looked at her dad. He gave her a nod. She smiled at the Singhanias and signalled them to follow her.
.............................

Vani and Daksh, after hours of difficult climbing, finally spotted the cave.

D: You sure this is the one?

V: yes!

B: Pakka na...you said the same about the last three ones.

Veer shot her a glare. The trio had been to three caves so far in hope of finding 'the cave' but the first one had been empty. Veer was so disappointed that he started throwing rocks and that disturbed the sleeping bats. Needless to say, it gave Bani quite a fright.

The second cave had wasted a lot of their time. It had three paths and all of them were connected. The trio kept going around these paths for a while when Bani said they should separate and go in the three paths. When they all met each other again at, they realized that this cave was just a trick of nature. Each pointed out the way they came from and took the only route which was the exit. They were really tired and disappointed at the amount of time wasted and continued.

The third cave was actually the worst. It was home to a female wolf and her pups. She growled and got in front of her little ones to protect them. Lucky for them, her male wasn't around, probably out hunting, and they ran without being followed by the angry animal.

V: Bani! Be positive. Yahi hogi...and aur koi option hai kya except to check it?

Bani sighed and started to go it but them stopped.

B: You go first this time.

V: Why? So that you can stare at my backside....naughty ho rahi ho sweetheart!

B: Kitne beshram ho tum, aise samay me bhi ye sb sujhata kaise hai tumko?

V: hare k bass ki baat nahi hai....It is Veeranshu Singhania thing!

B: Ugh!

Suddenly he pulled her into his arms. His hands snaking her bare waist that was slightly visible from her crop jacket.

V: Waise thanks to me tumne apni vo saari nahi pehni, hot to bohot lgti ho tum unme pr vo bilkul bhi comfortable nahi hoti and in kapdo me to tum...

D: Bs! That's it! Mai aage jaa raha hoon...aap dono ko dikhta hi nahi hai koi teesra.

Daksh left, he looked angry but the back of his ears gave away. They were red! He was feeling shy seeing his bhai and bhabhi like this.

B: Veer, dekho kya kiya tumne!

V: Pehli baar thodi hai...and ye toh normal hi tha but ab ye chala gaya hai to thik hi hai...ab ek kiss de do

B: Tum pagal ho? Seriously? Is time ye baaten

V: Uff! Boring....btw mai keh raha tha ki is kapdo me tum qayamat lag rahi ho...

Veer hugged her and his hands made their way around her to her butt. He gave them a slight squeeze and a pat.

B: Veer!

Bani felt shy and said that she is going in now.

V: Ye bhi sahi hai...mere age hi chalo...in kapdo me to tumhari backside aur bhi...

Bani stopped and gestured him to go in front now. Veer smirked but followed.

V: Haye re futti kismat, na kuch krne milta hai na dekhte..

Bani smiled at her husband's antics. How can someone be this carefree and calm at a situation like this was beyond her! Her eyes moved to his backside as he went in. She smiled and involuntarily, her hands moved, spanking him.

Smack!

Veer looked back at her, surprised! He gave out a laugh.

V: Mere rang me rangne lagi ho tum sweetheart!

They reached Daksh who was facing a wall.

D: Fursat mil gayi aap dono ko? Ye gufa bhi galat hai shyd.

B: Nahi...vo dekho..

The saw little drops of water coming out from a side of the stone wall. Veer laid his hands flat against the wall.

V: Do you hear it? Kuch hai iske peeche.

Bani and Daksh felt it too and all of them began pushing the wall. They looked around to see if there was some door or a key to breaking the wall. Veer started lifting huge rocks and throwing them against the wall but to their surprise, even the largest boulder would only cause a dent. By the time they picked up another boulder, the previous dent would have disappeared. All this strengthened their thought of this being the correct cave but how to get across?

V: Ugh! Cheel hone ka bhi kya faida? Shaktiyan to istemal kr nahi paa rahe hum..Bani tum shivji ka awahan karo na...kya pata..

B: Nahi veer...mai...ek second!

Bani looked at Veer with wide eyes.
..........................

Ponky stared at his father with wide eyes. Pawan mouth was equally flung open.

Ponky: Ye help karengi humari?

Maria: ji...

She smiled. She had guided them to a huge library. The library contained a lot about cheel history and about other supernatural creatures. It also was home to a lot of knowledge. While most cheels lost interest in these things and found it boring, her family saw this as real treasure and thus was entrusted with the safe keeping of all these texts ages ago. Since then, they have kept these with them, safe.

Maria: You will find a lot of information here. Everything you need to know.

Ponky: It will take years! Maybe all my life.

He groaned and stared at the large shelves that looked like they reached the sky.

Maria laughed and asked them to follow her. Her eyes blazed golden and she shot upwards. Ponky and Pawan took their cheel roop and followed suit. Maria flew upwards, crossing large shelves and then arrived at a particular section. It was made into the wall like a small room and they landed into it.

Ponky: Baap re! Itna upar...kahan khatam hogi ye library.

Maria: Mujhe bhi nahi pata...pr I guided you here because this is the herbs section. Every book I found here has been on herbs. The ones in the shelf were all ancient herbs. I have marked certain books red so you can avoid reading them. They are the books that I have already read. Unki koi bhi information helpful hoti toh mai khud bata deti.

She smiled and handed them the lamp she had been carrying. She went towards the wall. Though they were all covered will books, the tiny spaces between two shelves held torches. She lit them all and wished them luck.

Ponky and Pawan looked at each other as she left.

Pawan: All the best! (He picked up a fat book from a corner and got busy)

Ponky: Kahe ka best! Mujhe nahi Daksh ko bhejna tha yahan. Chashmish saari books chaat jata.

He murmured but picked up a book as well.
.........................

B: Tum smjhe nahi Veeranshu? Tum Samjhe Daksh?

D: Aap kya kehna chah rahe ho bhabhi? Konsi shakti?

V: Jahan tk mujhe pata hai mai ek cheel hoon, tum naagin and mera bhai bhi cheel hai...hum paida hi aise hue they....borrowed nahi hai shaktiyan to ye humari apni kaise nahi hui?

B: Uff! Sahi ho tum, mai naagin hoon, tum dono cheel lekin ye insani roop humara apna nahi hai. Hume insan hone ki shaktiyan apne-apne aradhya ne di. Samaye ke sath hum insan jaise hi ho gaye. Ab hum janam se insan hote hai and umar ke sath apni shaktiyan prapt krte hai...But ye shaktiyan, ye vardaan hume milla hai.

V: Milla to humara hua na...

D: arey bhabhi...I agree with bhai pr apke hisab se ye shaktiyan humari nahi hai, hume milli hai humari konsi hui...

B: Jo humesha humare andr hoti hai...humari iccha shakti...khood pr vishwas..

V: Aur in pathrao se jo nahi hua...vo isse ho jayega..

B: kya pata? Accha side hatho.

Bani kept a sure palm against the wall and began pushing it. To everyone's surprise but Bani's, the wall moved, giving them way into a very dimly lit path. They walked further and saw a light at one end and began moving.

The trio reached a spot. They looked around in amazement. The inside of the cave seemed to have its own ecosystem. Water flowed from a side and small trees grew around it. Small deer like animals were drinking water but ran away when they saw them. A few cheels were looking at them.

V: Ye cheel hai...mai inse baat krta hoon...

But before he could open his mouth, they all flew away. The trio chased them and reached a spot. An old cheel sat there in front of an idol.

D: Garud devta...ye Garud dev hai!

Bani looked around and took in the surrounding. She smiled when she noticed how alert Veer looked and was slightly angled towards her like her was prepared to pounce at any danger if it came her way. Suddenly the cheel got up and took a human form. An old man took its place. He walked towards them, his steps weird. Like he had not been in his human form for a long time.

Ancient Cheel-Guru (A)- Aiye Rajkumar, apka aur apke parivar ka swagat hai.

Bani looked at him in surprise.

A: Chonkiye mt...adi naagin..ek cheel ki patni...chonkna to mujhe chahiye..Kyu Daksh?

Bani shook her head and joined her hands.

B: Aap jante honge ki hum yahan kyu aye hai.

A: Haan...aur tum mujh tk pahunch gaye to khali hath nahi jaoge.

They smiled. The old cheel guided them towards a corner.

A: Garud dev, humare aradhya hai..lekin Markaat shaitan ne jb insani roop dene ka wada kiya to saare cheel wahan chale gaye...humare devta ka apman kiya...mai yahin raha...mera parivar...hum kahin nahi gaye...Us shaitan ko ek doorsi shakti ne kaboo kr liya and sadiyon tk sbko bewakoof banaya...lekin in cheelon ko kahan kuch pata chalta hai...Shukla...vo kul-guru...mera hi shishya tha satyug me...usme itna kapat tha...Markat shaitan tk cheelon ko wahi lekr gaya ...aur to aur us shaitan ko bhi dhoka ussi ne diya...

V: Guruji...interest bohot aa raha hai aap jo keh rahe ho usme lekin aap shyd mudda bhatak rahe ho...hum ye jaane nahi aye they..

Bani shot him a glare but the cheel guru smiled.

A: Sb jaanta hoon rajkumar. Lekin mera ye batana zaruri tha ki Shukla ne har janam me humesha dhokha diya, vo kabhi vafadar nahi tha....adi naagin ka bhi ye jaana zaruri hai ki kuch dhokebaaz kabhi nahi sudharte...unki purani adat hoti hai...shyd janmo purani

B: aap kehna kya chahti hai..

A: samajhdar ho tum teeno hi...samaj jaoge.

V: Lekin hum kuch aur bhi janna chahte they..

A: Aap cheelon ke prachin garud mandir tk aye ho, utar ki khoj me...pr uttar ke liye ab apko apne sasural jaana padega shyd rajkumar.

B: (whispers) Bholenath ka Prachin mandir...ya shayad..

She looked up to see the Cheel Guru smile.

A: Aur Daksh?

D: Ji

A: Vo kitab hare rang ki hai...Sunhari siyai se likha hua hai..

D: Kya?

A: Ab aap jaiye...apka doosra padav apki rah dekh raha hai..

A blinding light game form the garud dev's statue and they fainted. The ancient guru nodded at his cheels and they each lifted the trio and flew away.

Bani rubbed her eyes and shot them open. Where was she? The place looked quite familiar. Prachin Mandir! Veeranshu was laying right next to her but where was Daksh?

B: Veer! Veeranshu! Utho...

Veer woke up to his wife's worried face and kissed away the frown line on her forehead.

V: Uff! Ye sb sapna tha?

B: Kya bak rahe ho? Daksh nahi mill raha..

Suddenly, Veer's phone rang. It was Daksh. He picked it up.

V: Daksh?..............kahan?...........hmm, thik hai...okay.

B: Kya hua? Vo thik to hai na? Hai kahan?

V: Bs bs...ab agar tum chup nahi hui to main a tumhe kiss kr lunga...

B: Kya bakwas kr rahe ho? Hai kahan..

Before Bani could speak further, Veer slammed his lips against her soft ones. Bani was taken aback by the force but melted into the kiss. Their lips danced together when her eyes shot open. She pushed him away.

B: Veer! Yahan tumhara bhai missin-

V: Arey chup raho to mai bolu...thik hai vo...

B: Jai bholenath...kahan hai?

V: Munnar..

B: wahan? Pr..

V: Wahan shyd ponky aur chachu ko uski zarurat ho...jaise abhi tumhe meri hai...mere sasural jana hai na....waise ye mandir...thank god! I thought tumhari chachi ke jana hai!

B: Cheel ho...baaz nahi...to apne ye ghatiyan sense of humour se baaz aa jao aur chalo

V: Lekin ye mandir

B: Mandir me toh chalo..

V: Pr kaise...mai nahi chahta satyug ki tarah kuch ho...mere sath sath mere poore kull ko haq mil jayega aur phir kuch ho gaya toh?

B: Uska hal hai mere pass...panditayan ji se meri pehle bhi is bare me baat hui thi...we have a way..

V: Kya..

Bani guided him towards the enterance.

B: Mai adi naagin Cheelon ke Rajkumar, Veeranshu Singhania, aur mere saathi ko anumati deti hoon, is mandir me pravesh krne ki..

Veer took a step and entered the mandir.

B: Dekha!

V: Haye...kash mere saath rehkr buddhiman to ban gayi ho...

B: excuse me?

V: aur nahi toh kya? Hriday ki sathi budhu thi...lekin meri saathi, meri Bani me bohot dimag hai..

B: uff! Chalo...

V: Kahan? Abhi to mandir aye hai...waise jamai ghar aya hai pehli baar...sasural me koi khatir nahi karega kya..

Bani rolled her eyes but guided him towards a door. It open to a dimly lit corridor that had stone, spiral stairs going down.

B: Pehle sasural tk chalo to sahi..

V: Mtlb?

B: Naglok!

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

Precap:

Vani meet Nagrani and realise the stand of nags. Bani meets her followers. Veer rants and Vani discover an ancient truth. Shukla is trapped.