The dagger trembled in Draupadi's hand as she felt the blade pierce Yudhisthir's side. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Her hand, the one that had once tenderly touched his face, now moved against her will, driving the dagger deeper into his flesh.

Inside, she screamed. No, no, no! Arya!

But her lips remained silent, twisted into a cruel smirk, a mask she couldn't control.

Her heart shattered as the warmth of his blood flowed over her fingers, the love she had for him mixing with the horror of the act she was committing.

Every fiber of her being was fighting against it, yet her body obeyed the magic forcing her hand.

She saw the confusion and betrayal flash in his eyes, and it broke her. He didn't understand.

How could he? She couldn't say the words. She couldn't tell him she wasn't in control.

The magic Ayushman had cast was so powerful, so absolute. It twisted her movements, contorted her body, and yet her mind screamed in agony, begging for release.

Each stab felt like a betrayal of her very soul, a violent rejection of the love they shared. "Arya," she wanted to cry out, to plead for his forgiveness, to tell him that she would rather die than hurt him.

But her lips moved without her consent, spitting words of cruelty she would never mean, as inside, she wept.

Tears threatened to spill, but they never came.

Her body remained locked in Ayushman's dark spell, moving as though she were nothing but a puppet.

Yudhisthir's face contorted in pain, both from her blows and the silent question in his eyes.

Why? His gaze searched hers, and in that fleeting second, she saw the love and worry still burning in him despite everything. And it broke her even more.

Yudhisthir's heart pounded in his chest as Draupadi, with cold detachment, wiped the bloodied dagger on her sari. Her eyes glinted with cruelty-a look so foreign, so wrong, it felt like a nightmare he couldn't wake from.

"Draupadi," he gasped, pain shooting through his side as he clutched his bleeding wound. His voice was strained, laced with confusion and desperation. "What are you doing?"

She tilted her head, her lips curling into a mocking smirk. "What does it look like, my king?" Her tone was laced with venom, the words dripping with contempt. "I'm finishing what should have been done a long time ago."

His heart clenched painfully at the way she said those words, as if she truly wanted to harm him. But even through the haze of agony and disbelief, Yudhisthir noticed the slight tremor in her voice, the brief flicker of something else in her eyes.

No. This wasn't her. It couldn't be her.

"You don't mean that," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. He parried her next blow, the dagger glinting in the low light as it came dangerously close to his throat. "Draupadi, stop!"

"I don't mean it?" she laughed, a cruel, cold sound that echoed off the walls. "Do you really think I'm still the same woman you left behind? I have changed, Yudhisthir. I have learned the truth-how weak you are. You failed me, and now you will pay."

Yudhisthir flinched at the accusation, her words slicing deeper than the blade ever could. Guilt coiled around his chest, suffocating him. He had failed her once, when he thought she was lost, when he couldn't protect her from the horrors she had endured. But this... this wasn't her speaking.

"Draupadi, I know you. This isn't you," he rasped, his voice breaking. "I know I failed, but this... this isn't what you want. You would never hurt me like this."

She snarled, her eyes narrowing as she lunged at him again. He barely dodged the strike, his body moving on instinct while his mind wrestled with the impossible situation before him.

"I would never hurt you?" she spat, her voice laced with anger and something deeper-something he couldn't quite place. "What makes you think you're untouchable? You left me to suffer, Yudhisthir. You abandoned me."

Her words struck him like a hammer, but the sharp edge of her dagger was even more brutal. She slashed across his chest, cutting through skin and muscle as blood poured from the fresh wound.

He grunted in pain, but it was her eyes-those cold, unfamiliar eyes-that hurt him the most. The Draupadi he loved, the one who had stood by him through every storm, was gone.

But was she?

"Draupadi," he gasped, his voice choked with pain-physical and emotional. "I never abandoned you. I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you..."

"And you did," she interrupted harshly, circling him like a predator stalking its prey. "I'm not the same anymore, Yudhisthir. The woman you knew is gone, buried beneath the weight of your failures."

He blocked her next strike, his hand trembling as their weapons clashed. Her strength surprised him-she had never fought like this. She had never even been trained like this.

That flicker of doubt in his mind grew stronger, gnawing at his senses. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.

He caught her wrist as she lunged at him again, holding her steady. Her breath came out in sharp bursts, her body rigid with tension. "Draupadi, look at me," he said softly, his voice filled with pleading. "This isn't you. Please... fight it."

For a split second, her eyes softened, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something-something real. But then, just as quickly, they hardened again, the cruel sneer returning to her face.

"I don't need to fight anything," she hissed, yanking her wrist free and slashing at him once more. "I've never been more sure of what I need to do."

But her movements were frantic now, her strikes less precise, her face contorted with a mixture of fury and something else-something he recognized as torment.

Inside, Draupadi was screaming. She felt herself moving, her hand gripping the dagger, but it wasn't her own will.

The words that came from her mouth were not her own. Her heart shattered with each cruel word she uttered, knowing that Yudhisthir-the man she loved with everything in her-was hearing only hatred and venom.

Please, she screamed in her mind, her soul tearing apart. Please, Arya, don't believe this. It's not me. I'm trapped... I'm trapped.

Outside, though, her lips curled into a smile as she taunted him again. "You're pathetic, Yudhisthir," she said, her voice cruel. "All that strength, and you can't even defend yourself against me. What kind of king are you?"

His jaw clenched, his heart aching. This can't be real. He blocked her attack, his mind racing. She's never fought like this. She would never speak to me like this.

Something dark was at play. He could feel it in his bones, in the way her movements were too practiced, too unnatural. But he couldn't let his guard down. Not even for her.

She slashed again, and he deflected it, catching her wrist in his grip. "You've never fought before," he said quietly, his voice pained. "How... how are you doing this?"

For the briefest moment, something flashed in her eyes. Fear. Regret. But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by that cold, empty expression. "Maybe you never knew me," she whispered, her voice cutting through him like ice.

His grip on her wrist faltered, and she twisted free, lunging at him once more. But in his heart, he knew-he knew-that something was controlling her. Something was twisting her, forcing her into this nightmare.

"Draupadi," he whispered, his heart breaking even as he deflected her attacks. I'll find a way to bring you back, he vowed silently. I won't lose you again. Not like this.

And so, despite the searing pain in his wounds and the confusion tearing through him, Yudhisthir fought. Not just for his life-but for hers.

Chapter Title: The Battle for Her Soul

The battlefield roared like an untamed beast, the clash of metal and the cries of the wounded echoing into the skies. But all Yudhisthir could see was Draupadi, her once-gentle face now twisted into something unrecognizable. Each time her dagger clanged against his spear, it wasn't just his arms that shook-it was his soul, trembling with a pain far more excruciating than any wound.

"Draupadi, please!" His voice cracked, desperate, but his plea was swallowed by the cacophony around them. Her eyes, usually warm and full of compassion, now gleamed with cold malice, burning with a fury that felt foreign.

She lunged at him again, and he barely had time to block her blade with his spear. Every strike was a question without an answer, every blow a demand that he couldn't meet. Her lips curled into a sneer, her words like venom spat from her very soul.

"You left me to rot with them!" Her voice was a whip, each word lashing at him, tearing into the very essence of who he was. "You let them break me!" The accusation hung in the air, heavy and unbearable, as if she had just cast a stone that shattered whatever bond they had left.

Yudhisthir's mind reeled. This wasn't the Draupadi he knew, the woman who had fought through everything at his side. Her words slashed deeper than her blade, carving wounds into his heart that would never heal.

"Draupadi, that's not true!" His throat burned as the words tore from him, but she was relentless. Each strike she made wasn't just an attack-it was an unraveling, a shredding of every belief he had about their love, their trust.

Inside, Draupadi was a storm. She could feel every word that dripped from her mouth, cruel and biting, even as her true self, buried deep, screamed in agony. She wept within her own body, trapped in a nightmare, forced to hurt the one man she had always trusted. Arya... kill me. Please. End this. I can't stop it.

But Ayushman's magic was a cage, tightening its grip on her soul with every passing moment.

"You let me down! You're no king!" Draupadi's voice trembled, but the words came out sharp and unforgiving, tearing at Yudhisthir's heart like claws. This isn't me! she screamed inside, but the magic held her tongue, twisted her voice into something monstrous.

Yudhisthir's hands shook as he barely managed to parry another blow. Her words... they dug into him like knives, each one sharper than the last. His chest felt heavy, suffocating under the weight of her accusations. "Stop!" he cried, his voice hoarse and broken. He couldn't bear this any longer. Not from her.

But even as the plea left his lips, she lunged again, forcing him to react. He shoved her back, harder than he intended, his heart already breaking as he did it. Draupadi stumbled, her foot catching on a small rock, and she fell. The sight of her hitting the ground sent a shockwave through Yudhisthir's entire being.

"No!" The word ripped from him, jagged and raw. He rushed forward, but it was too late. Draupadi lay on the ground, her eyes wide with shock, her body crumpled as if the weight of the world had finally brought her down. Yudhisthir's heart shattered in that moment.

From the corner of his eye, Kunti saw her daughter-in-law fall, and a scream tore from her throat. "Drau!" Her voice, usually so composed, cracked as she shoved her sword into the chest of an oncoming soldier, her only thought to get to Draupadi.

Her legs carried her as fast as they could, her breath hitching in fear. When Kunti reached Draupadi, she knelt down, hands trembling as they cupped her face. "Drau... what is this? What's happening?" Her voice was full of confusion and fear, her mind spinning. Draupadi was supposed to be safe. She was never meant to fight, let alone against her own husband. The woman she held in her hands now felt like a stranger, her eyes dark and stormy.

But even as Kunti knelt there, Draupadi's body convulsed, and before she could stop it, the dagger was in her hand again, flashing in the dim light. Kunti's breath hitched, her body freezing in disbelief. "Drau... no..." she whispered, her voice almost inaudible.

Before the blade could strike, Bheem's massive form appeared, pushing his mother aside with a force that sent her stumbling. "No!" Bheem's voice boomed through the chaos, his heart thundering in his chest as he caught Draupadi's wrist mid-swing. The dagger hovered just inches from Kunti's chest, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

But Bheem's mind couldn't catch up with his body. His wife, his Draupadi, who had shared their every victory and defeat, was attacking them. He stared at her, his confusion turning into horror as her eyes met his. Her gaze was empty, cold, but somewhere deep within, Bheem saw a flicker-a spark of the woman he loved.

"What are you doing?" His voice cracked, the disbelief washing over him like a tidal wave. He wanted to shake her, to snap her out of whatever dark spell she was under, but he couldn't bring himself to hurt her. Not Draupadi. Never her.

"Draupadi, stop!" he cried out, but she didn't-couldn't-listen. She lashed out again, the blade slicing across his arm. Blood poured from the wound, but Bheem barely registered the pain. His mind was in a whirlwind of confusion, heartbreak, and disbelief.

Draupadi's soul screamed as the dagger cut into Bheem. No, no, no! she cried inside, but her body betrayed her, twisting in the grip of the dark magic that held her captive. Every time she tried to fight it, the magic squeezed tighter, its tendrils wrapping around her heart, suffocating her spirit.

"Draupadi!" Bheem's voice cracked as he staggered back, clutching his bleeding arm. His heart shattered with every swing she took, every attack she made. He couldn't fight her. How could he? She was his wife, his queen, the very breath of his life.

But Draupadi moved like a puppet on strings, the darkness inside her controlling every flick of her wrist, every cruel word that spilled from her lips. She lunged again, and this time, Bheem didn't move fast enough. The blade caught his side, and he grunted in pain, staggering back, his disbelief turning into pure torment.

"Draupadi, please!" His voice was thick with emotion, his eyes glistening as he struggled to defend himself without hurting her. The pain of her betrayal-or what felt like it-was more unbearable than the physical wounds. She was tearing him apart, and yet he couldn't bring himself to fight back.

Kunti watched the scene unfold, frozen in shock, her mind unable to process what was happening. Draupadi had attacked her, her own daughter-in-law, the woman who had been more like a daughter to her. It didn't make sense. None of this made sense.

"Drau... what have they done to you?" Kunti whispered, her voice shaking as she looked into Draupadi's cold, unfeeling eyes. She took a step back, fear creeping into her veins, but also something worse-heartbreak.

Draupadi's blade rose once more, her body jerking forward as Ayushman's magic dragged her deeper into its grip. But inside, her soul was crumbling, breaking into a thousand pieces as she watched herself hurt the people she loved more than life itself.

Bheem caught her wrist again, his strength wavering as his injuries bled freely. His hands trembled, but not from pain-from the overwhelming sorrow that flooded his heart.

"Draupadi..." His voice broke. "Why... why are you doing this?"

But all he received in return was silence. Silent torment. Silent betrayal. Silent screams.

Draupadi's heart tore, as she struggled with the dark magic. For a fleeting moment, the darkness loosened its grip as Draupadi's gaze locked onto Bheem-her Arya-recoiling from the blade she had just wielded against him.

The sight of his blood, the pain in his eyes, shattered the chains binding her soul.

In that brief instant, it was as though the fog had lifted, and she saw him-not as a target but as her beloved. "Arya..." she gasped, her voice trembling with horror.

Her hand, still holding the dagger, shook violently, and tears welled in her eyes. No, no, no... her heart screamed, desperate to take back the blow, desperate to stop.

Her lips quivered as she whispered, "I didn't mean to..."

Tears of relief filled his eyes, as Bheem staggered ahead, his heart aching to pull his woman in his arms, but she stumbled back.

It felt like somebody had punched his gut.

"Arya, no... Don't come closer..." Draupadi sobbed, her voice breaking as she fought against the darkness, her body trembling violently.

Tears traced down her cheeks.

She was terrified and that shattered the heart of the duo.

The tears that streamed down her face were a mix of rage, horror, and the overwhelming battle raging within her soul.

Yudhisthir stood a few steps away, frozen with uncertainty, his body still recovering from the fight, yet the confusion in his eyes was impossible to hide. He wanted to help her, to reach out, but how could he when she kept pushing him away?

"Drau..." Kunti choked her name, her heart breaking seeing her daughter's agony.

"No, please don't come closer!" Draupadi roared, a guttural cry of agony erupting from her lips as she pushed herself further back, tears flowing freely. "I can't... I don't know what's happening."

Kunti crouched beside her, the sight of her daughter trembling in fear breaking her heart. "Drau, tell me what's happening," Kunti demanded, her voice quaking as she reached for her. "We can help you, my child."

"No!" Draupadi's voice rose in terror. "I can't control it-just stay away!"

Yudhisthir, still trying to piece together the chaos, crouched down beside them. He reached out, his hand trembling as it hovered just above Draupadi's shoulder. "Whatever it is," he said, his voice soft, laced with both pain and confusion, "we'll figure it out. I promise you."

But Draupadi shook her head harder, her sobs turning into gut-wrenching cries.

The magic surged within her like a beast, roaring through her veins. No, no, no, not again, she pleaded internally. She felt her fingers tighten, and to her horror, she realized they were gripping a dagger.

Karn, who had pinned Ayushman down with his divine arrows, glanced toward Draupadi, worry tightening his features. "Dhriti... what's happening to you?" he whispered, though the concern in his voice was mixed with confusion and fear.

"Stay back! Or I'll... I'll hurt you," Draupadi whimpered gazing at each one of them, shaking her head as the magic inside her grew stronger. She could feel it, like a monstrous serpent, coiling tighter and tighter around her soul. The more she fought it, the more suffocating it became.

Ayushman's laughter echoed from where he lay shackled, blood dripping from his mouth. "You fools," he taunted, his voice raspy yet filled with sadistic amusement. "You think you can save her? She's mine now."

Karn snarled and kicked him hard in the chest, but Ayushman only coughed up more blood, laughing even harder.

As Ayushman diverted more of his dark magic toward Draupadi, she let out a scream of anguish, feeling her control slip further.

The power within her was relentless, tearing at her like a wild beast, twisting her every thought into something vicious and vile.

Her eyes, bloodshot from the internal battle, snapped toward Kunti. "Please... no... Mata, stay away!" But even as she begged, her hand raised, dagger in hand, aimed directly at Kunti's spine.

"No!" Yudhisthir's voice exploded with panic as he saw the movement. His reflexes took over, and he lunged forward, grabbing her wrist just as the blade came down.

He twisted it hard, forcing her to drop the dagger. Draupadi screamed in agony, but it was more than just the pain in her wrist-it was the pain of losing herself.

Kunti stood frozen, eyes wide in shock as she processed what had just happened. "Draupadi...?" she whispered, her voice cracking, but what scared her most was the empty, hateful look in her daughter-in-law's eyes.

Before anyone could react further, Bheem staggered toward them, clutching his side where Draupadi had injured him earlier. Blood dripped down his arm, his face pale from the wound, yet the pain in his eyes was far worse than any physical injury.

"Drau..." he said, his voice low, filled with disbelief. "What... what have you done?"

His heart shattered as he looked at her, the woman he loved, the woman he had sworn to protect with his life.

He couldn't comprehend it-why would she hurt him, hurt their family? His mind raced, trying to make sense of it all, but nothing fit.

Draupadi turned toward him, her lips trembling. "Arya, no... I didn't mean to..."

But before she could finish, the darkness surged again, and she screamed, her body convulsing as the magic twisted inside her, pulling her back under its control.

Her hand shot out, grabbing another dagger from the ground.

"Bheem!" Karn shouted in warning, but Bheem couldn't bring himself to fight her. Even as she lunged toward him, dagger raised, he stood there, unable to lift his sword against her.

She slashed at him, the blade grazing his arm, but instead of retaliating, Bheem stumbled back, pain and disbelief flooding his eyes. "Drau... stop," he whispered, his voice broken.

Kunti's heart sank as she watched the scene unfold, her son injured, her daughter-in-law consumed by some dark force. Tears streamed down her face as she realized the depth of Draupadi's torment.

Yudhisthir pulled Draupadi into his arms, his grip firm but filled with the agony of what he was witnessing. "That's enough!" he roared, desperate to break through to her. "Please, Drau... stop this!"

Draupadi grinned up at him, but the smile wasn't hers-it was something twisted, something evil. "Oh dear husband," she hissed, her voice dripping with malice, "this is just the beginning."

With a sharp kick, she aimed for his injured side, and Yudhisthir groaned in pain as he instinctively pushed her away, sending her staggering back.

Her internal scream was deafening as the magic tightened its grip once more. . .

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