"Welcome, Om babu!"
As the gates of Vijay's house opened, an elderly man—around fifty, thin yet energetic—walked quickly toward the car and stopped beside the rear window, smiling warmly at Om.
Seeing him, Om's face lit up with a soft, genuine smile.
"Vibhu kaka, how are you? How's your knee pain now?"
Hearing Om's voice, the gatekeeper's eyes sparkled with gratitude.
"Om babu, that ointment you gave me worked wonders. My knee is completely fine now—no pain at all. Thank you! And I hope you're doing well too."
Om nodded gently with a warm smile, and the car rolled forward into the courtyard.
Soon, both cars came to a stop.
Om, his family, and Maya stepped out.
Om was now fully recovered.
But Maya still struggled—leaning on a walking stand, her arm and leg wrapped tightly in plaster.
Sharda and Riya supported Om, while Soumya carefully helped Maya, guiding them inside.
But the moment Om stepped into the house—
Everything changed.
Before anyone could react, someone rushed forward and dropped straight at his feet.
The sudden movement stunned everyone.
The room fell silent.
"Arre… arre… Savita chachi! What are you doing? This isn't right… please, get up!" Om said quickly, bending down in panic.
Savita chachi lay at his feet, gripping his legs tightly.
Her hair was messy.
Her green saree looked crumpled.
Her hands trembled.
This wasn't respect.
This was desperation.
Om and his entire family stood frozen, unable to understand what had pushed her to this condition.
At the same time…
Near the mystical waterfall hidden deep within the Aravalli hills…
Vipul and Kagraj had reached dangerously close to the roaring cascade.
The sound of the falling water echoed like thunder, shaking the air around them.
As they stepped closer, cold mist brushed against Vipul's face.
Kagraj suddenly stopped.
Vipul looked at the massive wall of crashing water ahead, then turned toward him, confused.
"Kagraj, we've reached the waterfall… but all I see is this huge stream of water. Please guide me—how am I supposed to meet Kakbhushundi? Or… do I need to step into it to purify myself?"
A soft laugh echoed from Kagraj.
He stepped forward, facing Vipul.
"Indeed, Devdoot Vipul… just as Kakbhushundi says, you truly are pure-hearted and innocent."
Then his tone shifted slightly.
"You're not entirely wrong. But no—you don't need to bathe in it. You need to go behind it. That's where you'll find him."
Vipul's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Behind it? But there's nothing there… just rock and stone. How could anyone be there?"
Kagraj chuckled again, clearly amused by his innocence.
"You're not seeing it properly. Go closer… right to the edge. Then look carefully."
Though hesitant, Vipul stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
The roar grew louder.
The mist soaked his clothes.
And then—
His eyes widened in shock.
If he looked closely… very closely…
There was a gap behind the falling water.
A hidden space.
A passage.
Vipul turned toward Kagraj, stunned.
Without wasting a second, both of them moved forward and stepped straight through the waterfall.
From the outside, it looked as if they had disappeared… swallowed by the rushing water itself.
But beyond it—
A completely different world awaited them.
Vipul landed on soft grass.
He lifted his gaze—
And froze.
In front of him stood a massive cave, hidden behind the waterfall, as if the cascade itself was its doorway.
Inside, the cave felt alive.
Greenery spread across the ground.
Fireflies flickered softly, lighting up the space like floating stars.
Simple living arrangements were neatly placed—spaces to sit, to rest, to sleep.
Old books lay stacked in corners.
A wooden table stood nearby, with writing tools carefully arranged on it.
As the cave stretched deeper, small openings appeared in its walls—leading to smaller chambers, like rooms in a house.
It wasn't just a cave.
It was a home.
A hidden sanctuary.
Vipul stood there, absorbing everything, feeling an unusual calm settle inside him.
And then—
A voice echoed through the cave.
"Welcome to my home, Devdoot Vipul."
Vipul flinched and quickly turned toward the source of the voice, his curiosity instantly rising.
From one of the inner passages, a figure slowly emerged.
A man.
Dressed in dark, ascetic robes.
His face covered with cloth.
A candle flickered in his hand, casting shifting shadows across his body.
He appeared to be over fifty.
His posture slightly bent.
His steps slow… yet firm.
Vipul's heartbeat quickened.
He instinctively folded his hands.
"You… are you… the great Kakbhushundi?"
The man stopped.
Slowly… he lifted his hand and removed the cloth from his face.
And the moment his face was revealed—
Vipul's breath hitched.
Shock and awe flooded his eyes at the same time.
What stood before him was beyond anything human.
His body was human—two arms, two legs, a torso.
But his skin… dark, textured, almost like black feathers.
And his face—
It wasn't human.
It was the face of a crow.
Vipul stood frozen, unable to look away.
And then—
From the man's back, two massive black wings slowly emerged.
They spread wide… powerful… majestic… almost divine.
The air itself felt heavy.
Sacred.
Unreal.
The being spoke in a calm, commanding voice,
"Yes, Devdoot… I am the one the world knows as Kakbhushundi."
"Amazing…" the word slipped out of Vipul's mouth without him realizing it.
Overwhelmed, he stepped forward, bent down, and touched Kakbhushundi's feet.
Then, folding his hands again, he bowed deeply.
"I, the humble Devdoot Vipul, bow before the great Kakbhushundi—the one who can travel through time itself. It is an honor to meet you."
But the moment he finished speaking—
A thunderous roar exploded through the cave.
"How dare you!"
Vipul's entire body jolted.
He looked up instantly—
And fear gripped him.
Kakbhushundi's expression had changed completely.
His eyes burned with rage.
His presence turned terrifying.
And that fury—
Was aimed straight at him.