The Beast of the Black Cocoon

The monstrous creature crawled out of the cocoon, each movement cracking the ground beneath its skeletal limbs. The red glow in its hollow eye sockets grew brighter, and it fixed its gaze on Aarav.

"Blackthorn blood… awaken the seal… feed the curse…"

Its voice was like a thousand whispers screaming inside their heads.

Maya, still on the other side of the collapsed floor, screamed:

"Aarav, run!"

The creature lunged. Aarav rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a jagged tendril that slammed into the ground, leaving a smoking crater. He grabbed a rusted metal rod from the ground, swinging it at the beast. It struck—but the rod shattered like glass against its bone-like armor.

"It's too strong!" Aarav shouted.

Maya scanned the walls for anything that could help. She spotted ancient runes etched into the bones. One rune glowed faintly when she touched it.

"Aarav! The walls—they react to touch!"

Aarav pressed his hand against another glowing rune. The chamber trembled, and chains of black light shot from the walls, wrapping around the creature's limbs. It shrieked, its voice shaking the ground.

"You cannot bind me, child of Blackthorn! I am the shadow of your blood!"

Aarav's breath caught.

"Shadow… of my blood?"

The creature's voice rasped again:

"Your ancestor made me from his own flesh… to guard the mirrors. I slept until your blood returned. You are the key… and the curse."

Maya froze.

"Aarav… this thing was made by your family?"

Aarav clenched his fists.

"I didn't ask for any of this! I won't let it take us!"

The black chains began to crack under the beast's strength. Aarav grabbed Maya's hand, pulling her through a narrow side passage. As they ran, the creature roared, its voice echoing:

"You cannot run. The mirrors will call you. One by one, the seals will break."

They finally burst into a smaller chamber, where a black, mirror-like stone stood on a pedestal. Carved above it were words in old English।

"Only the blood of the heir may seal what was born of it."

Aarav felt a sharp sting in his palm—his earlier cut had reopened. The stone pulsed, reacting to his blood.

"Maya… I think this is the only way to stop it."

"Aarav, no! What if it hurts you?"

"If I don't, it will kill us both."

As Aarav touched the stone with his bloodied hand, the entire manor shuddered violently, and a deafening roar filled the halls.