Unmasked in a World That Rejects Life

Kemp’s head throbbed.

Sand pressed against his face, hot and rough. When he opened his eyes, blinding light struck him from above. He groaned and pushed himself up, coughing as dry dust filled his mouth.

Kemp:
“What the—!”

He looked around.

There was no sky like the one he knew. Instead, two burning suns hung in the air, one red and one pale white. The land stretched endlessly—nothing but cracked desert, twisted black rocks, and dead trees that looked like skeletons clawing at the sky.

Serdihun slowly sat up nearby, holding her head.

Serdihun:
“Where… where are we?”

Alir stood unsteadily, brushing sand from her clothes. Her eyes moved quickly, scanning the land.

Alir:
“I don’t know…”
(pause)
“But this place is not habitable.”

Serdihun 2 knelt down and touched the ground. The sand burned her fingers slightly. She pulled her hand back in shock.

Serdihun 2:
“Guys… this is not just another place.”
(pause, serious)
“I think this is another world.”

Kemp slowly stood up, his body aching. He looked at the strange sky, the broken land, the unnatural air.

Kemp:
“Yeah… you’re right.”
(pause)
“This is another dimension.”
(he clenches his fist)
“Narkaal threw us here.”

Alir’s shoulders dropped. Her eyes filled with sadness.

Alir:
“No way…”
(voice trembling)
“This place is terrible.”
(pause)
“I want to go back to our dimension…”

The wind howled, carrying strange whispers that didn’t sound natural. The world felt empty—but not dead. It felt like something was watching them.

Serdihun suddenly stepped closer to Kemp, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Serdihun:
“Wait… wait…”
(pause)
“Hero Kemp?”

Kemp blinked.

Kemp:
“Yes?”

Serdihun hesitated for a moment, then asked the question that made Kemp’s heart skip a beat.

Serdihun:
“Where is our Buddhist?”

The air felt heavier.

Kemp froze.

His breath caught in his throat.

Inside his chest, panic flared.

Kemp (nervous):
“I… I don’t know…”
(forced laugh)
“Why are you asking this question? Hehe…”

Serdihun crossed her arms.

Serdihun:
“Ohh… really?”

Kemp looked away.

Kemp:
“Yeah… I—I don’t know…”

Serdihun sighed deeply and stepped forward.

Serdihun:
“Stop it.”
(pause)
“Buddhist.”
(pause)
“You are Hero Kemp.”

Silence fell.

Serdihun 2 and Alir froze.

Their eyes widened in shock.

Alir:
“W-What?”

Serdihun 2:
“Wait… what did you say?!”

Kemp stared at them, then slowly exhaled.

Kemp:
“What…?”
(pause, defeated)
“Alright…”

He reached up and grabbed his mask.

Slowly—very slowly—he removed it.

The Hero Kemp mask came off.

Beneath it—

Buddhist.

Dust-covered.

Tired.

Human.

Kemp:
“See…”

Serdihun 2 gasped loudly.

Serdihun 2:
“BUDDHIST?!”
(pause, disappointed)
“Oh no… I thought Hero Kemp was a handsome hero…”

Alir groaned dramatically.

Alir:
“Me too…”
(pause)
“My dream has been broken…”

Kemp stared at them, annoyed.

Kemp:
“HEY.”

Serdihun laughed softly, shaking her head.

Kemp turned to her.

Kemp:
“Serdihun…”
(pause)
“How did you know Hero Kemp was me?”

Serdihun smiled and began explaining.

Serdihun:
“Remember that night…”
(pause)
“When everyone thought Hero Kemp was fighting alone?”

Kemp stayed silent.

Serdihun:
“I saw you.”
(pause)
“I saw Buddhist step out from the Hero Kemp suit.”
(pause)
“And then you created a Hero Kemp clone.”

Serdihun 2 gasped again.

Serdihun 2:
“YOU DID THAT?!”

Alir stared at Kemp.

Alir:
“So you were cheating this whole time…”

Kemp rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

Kemp:
“Wow…”
(pause)
“What a clever girl…”

Serdihun smirked.

Serdihun:
“You’re not very good at hiding secrets.”

Before anyone could respond—

The ground trembled.

A deep, rumbling sound echoed beneath their feet.

Kemp’s eyes widened.

Kemp:
“…Everyone.”
(pause, sharp)
“Alert.”

The sand beneath them began to move.

Slowly.

Violently.

Then—

BOOOOM!!

A massive creature burst out of the desert sand.

A gigantic snake monster rose into the air, its body thicker than a house. Its scales were dark purple and black, glowing faintly with strange symbols. Its eyes burned red, filled with hunger.

The monster hissed, its voice shaking the air.

Alir screamed.

Alir:
“WHAT IS THAT THING?!”

Serdihun 2 grabbed Alir’s arm.

Serdihun 2:
“RUN!!”

Kemp shouted.

Kemp:
“Everyone!!”
(pause)
“The large snake monster is coming toward us!”

They ran.

Sand flew everywhere as their feet sank into the desert ground. The monster chased them easily, its massive body sliding through the sand like water.

Kemp turned and tried to summon his power.

Golden light flickered—

Then vanished.

Kemp:
“Shit…!”
(pause)
“My weapons aren’t working!”

He threw a spear of light.

It dissolved before hitting the monster.

The snake roared and slammed its tail into the ground, nearly hitting them.

Serdihun 2 shouted.

Serdihun 2:
“Stop trying to fight it!”
(pause)
“This creature belongs to this world!”

Alir ran beside Kemp, breathing hard.

Alir:
“Then what do we do?!”

Serdihun 2 yelled back.

Serdihun 2:
“RUN FASTER!”
(pause)
“We have to escape!”

The monster opened its massive mouth, revealing rows of glowing teeth.

The desert shook.

The suns burned hotter.

This world rejected them.

And the hunt had begun.

Kemp clenched his fists as they ran.

Kemp (thinking):
“…Another world.”
(pause)
“No powers.”
(pause)
“No safety.”
(pause)
“And Narkaal is still out there.”

He glanced at his friends.

Terrified.

But still running.

Still together.

Kemp (whispering):
“…Then we survive.”

The snake roared again as it closed the distance.

And the unknown world welcomed them with teeth and sand.