The tension in the air was suffocating. The wind howled around them, carrying the distant echoes of the city below, but up here, on the terrace, only one thing mattered—Niranya, dangling on the edge of life and death.
Ashtram’s entire being burned with fury, his breaths heavy, chest rising and falling with barely contained rage. His sharp eyes locked onto the man who dared to touch what was his, who dared to place Niranya in danger. But despite the fire raging within him, he forced himself to speak, his voice deadly calm.
"Who are you?" His words sliced through the night like a blade. "Why are you doing this?"
The man standing at the precipice with Niranya in his grasp merely smirked, his dark chuckle sending an eerie chill through the air. His fingers tightened around Niranya’s wrist, making her wince, her terrified eyes flickering between him and Ashtram. She barely dared to breathe, as if any movement might send her plummeting over the edge.
Ashtram took a step forward, his every muscle coiled like a predator ready to strike, but the man lifted a single finger in warning. "Ah, ah," he tutted mockingly. "One wrong move, and she falls."
Niranya let out a shaky gasp, her grip weak against the unrelenting hold of the stranger. The fear in her eyes was raw, piercing through Ashtram’s heart like a dagger. He clenched his jaw, fists trembling as he fought against the primal urge to tear the man apart.
The man tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. "You don’t know who I am?" he drawled. "Tch, tch, tch… What a shame." His lips curled into a smirk as he leaned in slightly, whispering against Niranya’s ear before shifting his gaze back to Ashtram.
"Then let me tell you the tale."
A gust of wind rushed past them, sending a shiver down Niranya’s spine as she swallowed back a sob.
Ashtram’s glare darkened, his patience hanging by a thread. "Start talking," he growled, his voice a warning, a promise of what would come if this man played any more games.
The man chuckled again, his grip on Niranya unwavering, his amusement growing. And then, he began his tale.
The man smirked, his gaze gleaming with centuries-old resentment. “Two hundred years ago, do you remember, Ashtram Raghuvanshi?” His voice was laced with venom. “You punished your uncle’s son… Your uncle and aunt begged for his life, pleaded with you not to kill him. But you? You slaughtered him without mercy.”
Ashtram’s eyes darkened at the mention of the past, but he didn’t speak, allowing the man to continue.
“All because of that mere girl,” the man sneered. “Because you pitied her, because she took her own life, and her mother cursed you due to misunderstanding. You knew that, didn’t you? That because of your so-called justice, his mother couldn’t bear the grief and took her last breath.”
Ashtram’s gaze didn’t waver. His voice was firm, unwavering, laced with the same authority he carried as a prince centuries ago. “Yes, I remember. And I would do it again.” His words were cold, final. “That girl ended her life because that bustard betrayed her love. He played with her emotions, toyed with her heart. And in my kingdom, a Raghuvanshi never betrays.” His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. “He tainted our bloodline. And as the prince, it was my duty to deliver justice.”
A twisted smile spread across the man’s face. “Justice?” he mocked. “You think that was justice? You killed him for a woman who was already dead. And yet, you ask why this matters to me?” His eyes gleamed with a chilling madness.
Ashtram took a threatening step forward, but the man yanked Niranya’s arm, making her gasp in fear. He chuckled darkly. “Poor thing… I am from your uncle’s bloodline.”
Ashtram’s eyes narrowed, his muscles tensing at the revelation.
“Your father threw my ancestor out of the kingdom,” the man continued, his voice thick with resentment. “When my ancestor sought revenge for his son, your father discovered his betrayal before he could act. And just like that, he was cast out—stripped of his wealth, his home, his dignity. He had nothing. No food, no shelter… nothing.”
Niranya swallowed hard, watching Ashtram’s expression darken, his hands trembling with fury.
The man’s grin widened. “Do you know what a man does when everything is taken from him? He vows revenge. And so, my ancestor made a vow—he would never let your curse end. He passed down his hatred through generations, ensuring that every descendant of his bloodline knew the truth. Knew that one day, your Boon would be born… and when that day came, we would be ready.”
A sickening realization crept into Ashtram’s mind, his heart hammering against his ribs.
The man’s laughter deepened. “From the moment your curse was cast, my ancestors waited. Watching. And when your Boon was finally born… we swore to end her.”
Niranya gasped, horror dawning upon her as she stared at the man in disbelief.
“I knew the moment she was born,” he continued, his tone filled with triumph. “So I made sure her parents never lived to protect her. Do you remember Karan Sehgal?” He smirked. “He was nothing more than a pawn in my game. His hatred for you made him easy to manipulate. He carried out the accident that killed her parents, believing it was his own revenge, but in reality, it was always my plan.”
Ashtram’s fingers twitched, his breathing sharp and erratic, but the man wasn’t finished.
“Then came Abhay Raichand,” he chuckled. “The one who kidnapped Niranya. Again, my doing. Every attack, every attempt on her life—Bangalore, the accident, everything—was orchestrated by me. And yet…” He scoffed. “Every single time, you saved her.”
The man’s gaze turned lethal, his grip on Niranya tightening as she whimpered in pain.
“But not this time.” He leaned closer to Ashtram, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “This time, I came myself. This time, I will finish what my ancestors started.”
Ashtram’s heart pounded as the man’s words echoed in his head.
The man’s smirk widened into a wicked grin. “Your curse has ended because of her, hasn’t it?” His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “And now, when I take her life, you will suffer the same pain my ancestors endured. You will live on, but with guilt—knowing you could never save your wife… your Boon… your love, Niranya.”
A dark, maniacal laugh filled the night.
Ashtram’s blood ran cold. His world blurred as Niranya trembled in the man's grasp, her terrified eyes silently begging him to save her.
But he already knew - he couldn't let her go.
The man’s laughter rang through the night, his grip on Niranya unrelenting as she struggled to keep herself from slipping off the terrace’s edge. Ashtram’s hands trembled with fury, his entire being vibrating with the urge to rip the man apart, but he held himself back, his mind calculating every possible way to save her.
The man smirked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement at Ashtram’s barely contained rage. “You thought it was over, didn’t you?” he sneered. “You thought that with the end of Karan Sehgal, you had eliminated the threat.” His voice dripped with mockery as he tilted his head, watching Ashtram like a predator playing with its prey. “How foolish of you.”
Ashtram’s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with a murderous glare.
The man let out a dark chuckle, his fingers tightening around Niranya’s wrist as she whimpered in fear. “Karan Sehgal was nothing more than a pawn. A disposable piece on my board. I am the real mastermind, the true destroyer, Ashtram Raghuvanshi.” His voice rose with pride, his chest puffed as he declared, “I am the one who orchestrated everything. Every move, every attack, every ounce of suffering you and your precious Niranya have endured—it was all me.”
Ashtram took a menacing step forward, his voice deadly calm. “If you think you’ll take her away from me, you’re even more of a fool than I thought.” His eyes flashed with something dangerous—something lethal.
But the man merely smirked, tightening his grip on Niranya as he leaned closer, whispering, “Let’s see how strong you really are when you watch the love of your life fall to her death.”
And with that, he yanked Niranya closer to the edge.
The man’s smirk widened, his dark eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. He let out a slow, mocking chuckle before declaring, “I, Surya Prakash, have come to take my ancestors’ revenge myself.”
Ashtram’s eyes darkened at the name, his muscles tensing with restrained fury.
Surya’s grip on Niranya tightened as he continued, his voice filled with venomous pride. “For generations, my bloodline has suffered because of you, Ashtram Raghuvanshi. My ancestors vowed that your curse would never end, that you would never find peace.” His lips curled into a wicked grin. “And now, after centuries of waiting, I will be the one to fulfill that promise.”
Ashtram’s fists clenched, his entire body radiating murderous intent. “You dare threaten my wife?” he growled, his voice dangerously low.
Surya laughed darkly. “Threaten? No, Ashtram. I am here to end her. Just like you ended my ancestor, I will take from you what matters most.” He pulled Niranya closer to the edge, his grip unrelenting. “You should have let your curse consume you. But no, you had to fight it, had to find your Boon, had to fall in love.” His expression twisted with cruelty. “And now, you will pay for it.”
Niranya gasped, fear pooling in her wide eyes. “Ash…” she whispered, her voice trembling.
Ashtram took a slow, deliberate step forward, his gaze locked onto Surya’s. “You don’t know what you’ve just started,” he said, his voice laced with lethal promise. “Let. Her. Go.”
Surya chuckled darkly. “Or what?” He leaned closer to Niranya, his grip tightening around her wrist. “Will you watch her slip through your fingers? Will you live with the guilt of knowing you couldn’t save her?” His eyes gleamed with malice. “Just like my ancestor suffered, you will too, Ashtram Raghuvanshi.”
Ashtram’s sharp gaze flickered to the side, searching desperately for anything he could use as a weapon. His fingers curled around a metal rod lying near the terrace railing, and without a second thought, he hurled it with all his strength.
“Surya!” he roared, his voice filled with fury and desperation.
The rod cut through the air like lightning, striking Surya Prakash right in the chest. A sickening crack echoed through the night as the impact drove deep into his flesh. Blood spurted from the wound, staining his shirt in crimson. Surya gasped, his body jerking as the pain registered, his grip on Niranya loosening.
For a moment, everything stilled.
Niranya staggered backward, her eyes wide in shock as Surya’s fingers slowly uncurled from around her wrist. Ashtram surged forward, reaching out for her, thinking—It’s over. She’s safe.
But then—
A wicked grin curled on Surya’s bloodied lips, and with his last ounce of strength, he used his dying body to shove Niranya—hard—off the edge of the terrace.
Time froze.
Niranya’s scream pierced the air as she lost her balance, her body tilting backward into the empty void behind her. Ashtram’s heart stopped. His hand shot out, but he was too far.
“NIRANYA!”
She fell.
Ashtram lunged forward, but at that exact moment, Surya collapsed onto the terrace floor, his own body giving out. A deep, blood-choked laugh left his lips as he lay in a growing pool of red. His vision blurred, but his twisted satisfaction remained.
“I… took my ancestors’ revenge…” Surya rasped, his voice barely a whisper before the last breath left his body.
But Ashtram didn’t care about Surya.
His world shattered. His mind, his soul—everything broke as he watched Niranya plummet into the darkness below.
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