The fierce battle continued between Shankaraakshya and Shankaraatrishn, each wielding their extraordinary abilities with determination. The air crackled with supernatural force as their powers collided, shaking the very foundation of the place.

Shankaraakshya fought valiantly, drawing upon his spiritual strength, but Shankaraatrishn's formidable dark magic seemed to match every move, unyielding in its resolve.

Their battle seemed endless, only resulting in destruction, nothing but destruction. The ground shook violently, as if protesting against the vile act being committed.

The other people around were getting more and more afraid, unsure and uncertain of what awaits them next, they joined their trembling hands and began to pray.

"Raksha kare Devi !"

"Amarsri raksha kare !"

And just as hope seemed to fade and darkness loomed over the temple complex, a deafening roar pierced through the smoky haze, causing both the devotees of Shankaraa to stop.

They turned their gaze towards the temple, and there stood the goddess upon the ruins, in her ferocious multi armed and multi headed dark form of Mahakaleshwari.

Her eyes blazed with an incomprehensible rage, scanning the scene before her. Her smoky tresses wafted gracefully around her, as if dancing to an unseen rhythm, the rhythm of chaos.

Shankaraakshya's lips parted, as he got on his knees and joined his hands, just like the rest of the devotees, who prostrated before her. But she did not look at them, her wrathful eyes were fixed upon Shankaraatrishn.

Now that she was in front of him, reverence and fear consumed Shankaraatrishn. Every cell in his being trembled under the weight of her divine wrath.

Her gaze pierced through his very soul, a stern reminder of the sins he had committed in his quest for her divine presence. Tears welled up in his eyes as he yearned to ask for forgiveness, to lay bare his remorse and the burden of his transgressions.

The weight of his actions weighed heavily upon him, threatening to shatter his already fragile resolve. Shankaraatrishn fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face, he wanted to ask for redemption. But his courage faltered, as the memory of his misdeeds played out before him like a haunting shadow.

He ached to plead for mercy, yearning for the forgiveness only a mother could grant. Yet, he hesitated, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the goddess's wrath and the magnitude of his own wrongdoing. Every ounce of guilt and regret surged through him, rendering him speechless.

With thunderous footsteps, Mahakaleshwari strides toward him, her wrathful gaze piercing through his troubled soul. Shankaraatrishn's heart pounded in anticipation of the inevitable punishment he was about to face.

His body tenses, expecting divine retribution for his audacious acts. Gently, yet firmly, she raised her arm, that was holding a celestial trident, that glimmered menacingly in her hand.

Now as they stood face-to-face, their eyes locking in a poignant moment that transcended time and space. In her angry gaze, he could see sorrow and compassion.

Shankaraatrishn's breath got caught in his throat as he braced himself for the ultimate judgment. But instead of striking him down with unforgiving might, Mahakaleshwari plunges the trident into his chest, piercing his very core.

The pain seared through his body, mingling with the all-encompassing love and destruction that surrounded them.

"Yeh tumne kaisa anarth kar diya ?" Mahakaleshwari asked, her voice firm, yet carrying a sense of gentleness.

"M-Mujhe toh keval aapka putra banna tha..... Jo vardaan Shankaraakshya ko mila mujhe bhi wahi chahiye tha..." Shankaraatrishn managed to say.

Mahakaleshwari looked at him, she couldn't help but say, "Evam astu." (So be it.)

And just as those words left her mouth, a frown appeared on the face of the goddess, who didn't plan to give him that boon. It didn't take her long to realise that it was Mata Saraswati who made her say it.

Mahakaleshwari looked at Shankaraatrishn, breathing his last. She firmly held her trident, and removed it from his chest, causing him to heave in pain as blood oozed out endlessly.

As Shankaraatrishn lied down in the pool of his own blood, his eyes glanced sideways. His breath hitched seeing  a menacing figure lurking in the shadows, the Karn-pishachini. A malevolent smile was on her face, for she was waiting for him to breath her last.

"M-Maa.... Maa..." Shankaraatrishn gathered the last bits of his strength. He reached out desperately, clutching the bare feet of the powerful deity standing before him.

Mahakaleshwari looked at him, whose face was etched with fear.

"R-Raksha kare... Kripiya raksha kare..." Tears fell from his eyes, as pleaded. His voice was weak and filled with an agonized desperation as he begged her to save him from this unholy abomination he had foolishly unleashed.

As he saw the Karn-pishachini coming towards him, to claim his soul, Shankaraatrishn sobbed and begged, "Maa raksha kare..."

And before the pishachini could take another step, she stopped seeing Mahakaleshwari stepping in front of Shankaraatrishn, looking at her fierce anger.

The Karn-pishachini, once confident in her malevolent intentions, now cowered in the face of the goddess's formidable presence, which was more menacing than herself.

"Kya mantavya hai tera ?" Mahakaleshwari asked, in a thunderous voice.

She kept looking at the pishachini, who seemed to have been rendered speechless in front of her indomitable force.

"Pehle toh bahut Kuvichaar mere bhakt ke man mei daal rahi thi. Ab kya huya ? Tere bol kisne chhin liye ?!" Mahakaleshwari asked.

"D-devi..... I-Iski aatma.... Iski aatma par mera adhikaar hai...." The Karn-pishachini said.

"Yeh meri sharan mei aya hai. Ab iske aatma par kisi ka adhikaar hai toh woh mera hai." Mahakaleshwari said, her voice booming with authority and protectiveness of a mother.

"Kintu anushthaan toh tere hi iss putra ne kiya tha na.... Uska mol mujhe chahiye..." The pishachini said.

"Mol chahiye ?" Mahakaleshwari asked raising a brow.

The Karn-pishachini gulped, but stood on her ground, "H-Ha."

"Yadi mai teri aatma ka uddhaar kar, tujhe manushya yoni mei laa du, toh kya tu iski aatma ko apna daas banane ka mantavya chhod degi ?" Mahakaleshwari asked.

Caught off guard by this unexpected offer, the Karn-pishachini hesitated. Longing for redemption and salvation, a glimmer of hope flickered within her twisted being. Realizing the goddess's deal held the promise of liberation from her dark existence, she couldn't let go of it.

Slowly, the pishachini nodded. Mahakaleshwari's fierce gaze softened, for in that moment she could see the suffering endured by her in the pishach state.

"Naam bata apna." Mahakaleshwari told.

The Karn pishachini fell into thoughts, a restless expression formed on her face as she tried to remember her name, that was long forgotten due to her seemingly endless suffering.

"Ila... Nahi.... Ilvakaa ! Ilvakaa !" She said remembering it.

Mahakaleshwari smiled, which was a rare sight in itself, "Ilvakaa, shigreh hi tera janm manushya yoni mei hoga. Yeh mera vardaan hai."

The Karn-pishachini bowed down to the goddess, before disappearing in thin air.

Mahakaleshwari then looked back at Shankaraatrishn, his pained expression possessed a sense of fleeting joy. She gave him a nod of assurance, and thus he closed his eyes, breathing his last.

Mahakaleshwari looked at him for a moment, before turning back, "Shankaraakshya." She called.

"Maa...." Shankaraakshya came forward with his hands cupped in reverence.

"Putra, Shankatrishn ka antim sanskaar karo. Jaise yeh tumhara hi chhota bhai ho." Mahakaleshwari said.

"Jo aapki aagya." He bowed.

Some people stood speechless, others had fainted. Those who still possessed both consciousness and speech, raised their hands and cheered, "JAI-JAI ! JAI-JAI !"

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A/N

Shankaraakshya and Shankaraatrishn gonna be bros ✨✨

But I do have plans for Ilvakaa as well in the Mahabharat segment 🌝🌝

Anyways.... We're now in the last segment of the book 🌝✨