Episode 6: The Chamber Below
The storm had passed, but the air inside the manor was heavier than ever.
Maya stood at the foot of the staircase near the wine cellar, holding a rusted iron key in one hand and a small glass charm in the other — a protective sigil she called "The Whisper Seal."
"You sure you want to see what's under there?" she asked Aarav.
"I already opened the box," he said. "Might as well walk through the rest of the nightmare."
She nodded and led him down into the basement.
The Cellar
The stone walls were slick with moisture. Mold crept across the barrels. A strange, sour smell lingered in the air — like old blood and rot.
"The ritual chamber is behind that wall," Maya said, pointing to a cracked brick archway at the end. "My grandmother once said it was sealed with death."
Aarav traced his fingers along the stone. Strange runes were carved into the surface, now barely visible. As he pressed on one — a symbol resembling an open eye — the wall shuddered and shifted, revealing a narrow passage.
"You remembered the code?" Maya asked.
"No," Aarav whispered. "It just… felt familiar."
The Ritual Chamber
The space beyond was wide and circular — a stone sanctuary, lit by flickering torches that hadn't been lit in over a century… and yet now, they were burning.
Chains hung from the ceiling. Seven pedestals stood in a ring — empty mirror frames atop each one.
In the center, an altar carved from black marble, with dried blood staining its grooves.
A single name had been carved repeatedly into the walls:
ELEANOR.
Over and over. In desperation. Or madness.
Aarav stood silent, goosebumps rising on his arms. The pendant around his neck began to grow warm.
Maya walked to one of the mirror frames.
"They removed the mirrors before sealing this place. Hid them around the manor to prevent the ritual from finishing."
Aarav touched the altar. A flash of memory hit him — a scream, a girl's voice, fire, chanting voices.
He stumbled back.
The Hidden Vision
Suddenly, the entire room darkened. Only the altar remained lit.
Aarav found himself alone — Maya gone.
A voice echoed behind him — one he recognized from his dreams.
"You returned to finish what he couldn't…"
He turned.
Eleanor Blackthorn stood at the far end of the altar, her white dress soaked in blood. Her eyes glowed faintly, and tears streamed down her face.
"They want your body. Your blood. You are the last of the bloodline. The final vessel."
"What do you mean?" Aarav gasped.
"You are Ambrose's legacy."
And with that, she screamed — a deafening shriek that shattered the altar into dust.
Return to Reality
Aarav blinked.
Maya was shaking him.
"You vanished. For five minutes, you weren't even here."
Aarav stared at the altar — whole again.
"I saw Eleanor. She said… they need me. I'm part of this."
Maya's expression turned to fear.
"That means they'll come for you next. The spirits. The Hollow Man."
A wind blew through the sealed chamber — cold and filled with whispers.
"SEVEN TO OPEN. ONE TO BLEED."