He had no idea that, in a single moment, he had condemned himself to thousands of deaths.
To awaken a Mother and force her to witness the suffering of her children—to take pleasure in their pain—was a crime whose price he had never imagined he would have to pay.
His powers had been stripped away. Now he lay rotting in chains, writhing in agony worse than decay itself, begging for death. But the Mother's wrath had made one thing clear to him—
he would not be granted an easy end.
The death awaiting him would be cruel.
So painful that he could not even begin to imagine it.
Ali said quietly, "Andy, we have to wake Siya. We must calm the Mother. If her rage keeps rising like this, the whole world will have to pay for it."
Andy nodded. "I think we must invoke Mahakaal. He is the other half of the Mother's power. Together they become Ardhanarishwar."
Clara whispered, shaken, "What is happening? Am I witnessing a god? Is this Mother Kali… Mother Parvati?"
Andy and Ali tried to steady her.
"This isn't the time to understand," Andy said. "What stands before you is the truth itself.
This is the Mother, and this is her power.
She is the one who creates, and she is the one who destroys.
She is love, and she is rage.
She is the beginning—and she is the end."
Andy and Ali folded their hands.
"O Mahakaal, Lord of all gods," they prayed,
"show us the path.
Awaken Siya from within.
Calm the Mother."
They slipped into deep meditation.
Slowly… the Mother began to grow still.
It was as if Shiva had heard them.
When Siya regained consciousness, she collapsed, unconscious for a moment.
When she finally opened her eyes, she whispered,
"What happened? I don't remember much…"
Andy answered, "You awakened the Mother hidden inside you. When George spoke of the cruelty done to humans, you lost control. To calm you, we had to seek Mahakaal himself."
Siya asked softly, "Did he say anything?"
Ali nodded. "Yes. He spoke about the secrets hidden in Dronagari. He said something lies buried there—something far greater than we can imagine. Many dark truths are sealed within that mountain."
Siya's eyes sharpened.
"Then he must stay alive," she said. "We need him. We'll continue searching the mountain and uncover what we can."
Even in his torment, George was laughing.
"Why don't you kill me, Siya?" he taunted. "End it. Set me free."
Siya's voice thundered through the chamber.
"You are begging for death? You will never have it.
You will suffer worse than the fire of hell—right here in the realm of the living.
You will feel the pain of your own deeds, more cruel than the suffering of the innocents you destroyed.
And you will spill every secret you are hiding."
George said softly, almost pleading,
"I will tell you everything… just kill me.
Only then will you get what you truly want, Siya."
Siya stepped closer.
"Tell me this first.
Who was with me in your place?
Why did he help me?
And what did you mean when you said 'how many will you kill'?
What do you know?
How do you know it?
I want the truth."
George smiled faintly.
"I already told you, Siya. I will reveal everything.
But first… promise me you will grant me release."
Siya fell silent.
George's voice turned calm, calculating.
"I know how deeply you honor your word.
Think about it.
The sooner I speak, the sooner you learn everything."
Siya looked at him steadily.
"You want freedom?" she said at last.
"Fine. I will give you your freedom."