The path inside the ridge grew narrower and denser with every step. The red threads of Bloodthorn residue along the walls thickened, pulsing faintly — as if alive. Their gentle movement made it feel like they were following them.
Grace led the group, spear gripped tightly in his hands. Every step he took was slow but precise, his brown eyes scanning every corner. Rudrak followed closely behind, his bow always drawn.
"These threads…" Riya whispered, "It doesn't feel like we're walking inside a ridge… but inside the belly of something alive."
Aarya tightened his grip on his Granthnishaan. "This place isn't just a structure… it feels like it's part of the Bloodthorn itself."
Feran let out a low growl through their telepathic link, "And it knows we're here. These threads move with every step we take."
And truly, at times, the walls of the ridge seemed to pulse faintly — as if something living breathed behind them.
---
A little further ahead, they came across a small open space where heavy footprints were imprinted into the soil. Riya crouched down and gently touched them.
"They're… not very old," she said calmly. "Maybe just a few hours."
Grace stepped beside her, studying the marks. "They're Arjun's footprints. He came this way."
Rudrak spotted a small torn cloth on the ground. He picked it up slowly and muttered, "This is part of his hunter uniform."
Among the small footprints, Aarya noticed something else — moist red threads strewn across the ground. "The Bloodthorn tried to drag them in… but from the looks of these marks, they fought back."
Grace gripped his spear tighter. "They're alive. I can feel it."
Riya glanced at Grace and offered a small smile — a rare warmth breaking through her usual serious tone. "And we'll bring them back."
---
As they moved deeper into the ridge, the air turned colder and heavier. The threads along the walls grew so dense that their color darkened from red to black, almost as if they'd aged or strengthened.
Feran growled, "Aarya… these threads aren't old. I think the Bloodthorn's core is close."
"Stay alert," Riya whispered. "These walls and threads aren't just part of the ridge… it feels like something's watching us."
And indeed, at times it seemed like tiny eyes blinked within the threads. But whenever someone turned to look, they vanished — freezing like they were never there.
---
They soon arrived at a small chamber, its entrance half-covered in threads. Riya tried cutting them with her blade, but the threads regenerated instantly.
"These… aren't normal threads," she said through gritted teeth.
Aarya stepped forward and struck them with his Granthnishaan. The threads split with a sharp crack and slowly stopped regenerating.
Inside, a faint glow lit the chamber — probably from a hunter's abandoned torch. They found a small makeshift camp, with scattered utensils and half-eaten food packs in one corner.
Grace rushed forward and picked up a small hunter badge. For a moment, his face softened. "This… this was Ravi's."
Rudrak noticed a worn-out diary in a corner. He flipped it open and read:
"...Arjun says we can still escape, but the Bloodthorn's core won't let us leave. It's around us… and we can only last a few more days."
Grace held the diary tightly and murmured, "They were here… and they're still alive."
---
As they stepped out of the chamber, a faint voice echoed through the ridge — low, distant, and human.
Riya stopped immediately. "That voice…" she whispered.
Aarya strained to listen. It was faint, but unmistakably human.
Grace's face changed — from serious to hopeful. "That's… Arjun's voice!"
Without waiting, he sprinted ahead. Riya and Aarya rushed after him.
The path tightened further, and the threads along the walls began to twitch more violently — as if trying to block their way. Feran growled, "We have to hurry… the threads are reacting."
---
They reached a large hall, and the sight stopped them cold.
In the center, four hunters were trapped inside a web of glowing red threads. Their faces showed exhaustion and fear, but their chests still rose and fell — they were alive.
Behind them loomed a massive nest of blood-red threads, fused directly into the ridge's stone. At its center pulsed a giant, throbbing red core — beating like a heart. Tiny red eyes blinked within it.
Grace gripped his spear tightly and growled, "Arjun…"
And from that core, the threads slowly began to shift — as if welcoming them.
---
Silence fell across the hall. Only the rhythmic thump… thump… thump of the core echoed through the air — like the heartbeat of a giant beast. With every pulse, the ridge's walls trembled.
Grace gritted his teeth and whispered, "He's alive… and it's coming for us."
A sudden burst of red energy erupted from the core, stirring the residue on the ground. The threads around the trapped hunters tightened, and one of them cried out in pain.
"Arjun!" Grace shouted and leapt forward, but Riya blocked his path.
"Grace! Don't rush… this thing could kill all of us in a second if we're not careful."
Grace stared at her, his face twisted in pain and anger, but finally nodded and held his position.
---
The core let out a monstrous roar — a sound that was both beast and human. In an instant, dozens of threads shot out from the ground toward them.
Rudrak quickly fired an arrow, slicing one thread — but another caught it mid-air and snapped it.
Feran growled, "Aarya… these threads aren't normal. They're remembering our attacks!"
Aarya leapt forward, striking one thread with his Granthnishaan. It snapped, but another immediately tried to grab his arm.
Riya flipped into action, slicing through a thread with her blade. The red residue stuck to it, forcing her to yank it free.
Grace spun his spear and pinned another thread to the ground. "We need to cut these threads first… we can't touch the core yet!"
---
Riya formed a plan quickly. "Aarya and Grace — block the threads near the core. Rudrak, distract them from a distance. I'll cut the hunters free."
Grace spun and sliced through another thread. Aarya cleared a path using his Granthnishaan, giving Riya room to move.
She rushed to the trapped hunters and began cutting their bindings. Arjun, bound in front, looked up weakly. "Riya… you're here… I thought we were finished."
"Just breathe. We're getting you out," she said calmly.
A thread shot toward her, but Aarya jumped between them, grabbing it midair and tearing it apart with his mark.
---
The core suddenly pulsed violently. The threads grew faster, thicker — their color turning from red to pitch black. Rocks cracked, and pieces of the ridge started to fall.
Feran growled, "It's angry… and it's collapsing the whole ridge!"
Grace destroyed another thread and shouted, "Hurry, Riya! This whole place is going to fall!"
She freed the last hunter. Arjun collapsed to the ground, but he was breathing.
"Move them to the corner!" she shouted. Rudrak used his bow to hold off threads and dragged the hunters to a safer spot.
---
Riya turned to Aarya. "We have to strike the core now! Before it regenerates!"
Aarya activated his Granthnishaan and rushed forward with Grace. Grace pinned a thread with his spear, and Aarya reached the core.
The red eyes locked on him, and three threads flew toward him.
He broke one with the Granthnishaan, crushed another with his foot, and slashed the third with Feran's help.
Feran climbed onto Aarya's shoulder, growling, "Strike together! The center is the weakest!"
Aarya charged his Granthnishaan and punched the core dead center. It shuddered, threads freezing for a moment.
Grace drove his spear into the same crack, and Riya landed a deep cut with her blade.
The core let out a monstrous scream — its threads unraveled, and the walls shook violently.
---
Just before the core exploded, something dark emerged from its center — a small, shadowy creature made of black threads, with a single red eye.
Riya gasped. "That… that's the Bloodthorn's actual seed!"
"If it escapes, it'll grow again!" Grace shouted.
The shadow darted toward the crumbling ceiling and slipped out through a narrow crack.
"Aarya! It's escaping!" Riya yelled.
Without hesitation, Aarya leapt after it, disappearing through the opening.
Grace looked at the others. "Rudrak! Get the hunters out of here!"
And as the hall began to collapse, Aarya gave chase — after not just a seed… but a secret that could change everything.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…