No Powers, Only Survival

The sand burned their feet as they ran.

Kemp could hear the monster behind them—its massive body sliding through the desert like a living storm. Each movement shook the ground. The sound of grinding scales and deep hissing echoed in the empty world.

The two suns above burned without mercy.

Alir struggled to breathe.

Alir:
“I can’t… run… much longer!”

Serdihun 2 grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

Serdihun 2:
“Don’t stop!”
(panting)
“If we stop, we die!”

Kemp looked back.

The giant snake monster was closer now. Its mouth opened slightly, hot breath blasting sand into the air. Its eyes glowed brighter as if it enjoyed the chase.

Kemp (thinking):
“No powers…”
(pause)
“No weapons…”
(pause)
“Just our bodies.”

He clenched his teeth.

Kemp:
“Everyone!”
(pause)
“Follow me!”

He suddenly changed direction, running toward a cluster of sharp black rocks rising from the sand like broken teeth.

Serdihun:
“Kemp! What are you doing?!”

Kemp:
“Trust me!”

They ran between the rocks. The space was narrow, and the ground uneven. The snake tried to follow, but its massive body struggled to move between the sharp stone walls.

The monster roared in anger.

Its tail smashed into the rocks, shattering some of them. Stone flew through the air.

One sharp rock cut Kemp’s arm.

Kemp:
“Ahh!”

Blood ran down his arm, dark against the sand.

Alir:
“Kemp! You’re hurt!”

Kemp shook his head.

Kemp:
“It’s nothing!”
(pause)
“Keep moving!”

They escaped the rock area and ran into a wide open desert again.

Serdihun 2 stopped suddenly.

Serdihun 2:
“Wait…”
(pause)
“Listen.”

They all stopped, breathing heavily.

The snake’s sound faded.

No roaring.

No shaking.

Only wind.

Alir whispered.

Alir:
“…Did we lose it?”

Kemp looked around carefully.

Kemp:
“No.”
(pause)
“It’s smart.”

As if answering him—

The sand beneath Serdihun shifted.

Serdihun:
“MOVE!”

The ground exploded upward.

The snake burst out again, faster than before.

Serdihun 2 screamed.

Serdihun 2:
“RUN!!”

They scattered in different directions.

Kemp rolled to the side as the snake’s mouth snapped shut where he had been seconds earlier.

Kemp hit the ground hard.

The air was knocked out of his lungs.

Kemp:
“Ugh!”

The monster turned its head toward him.

Its eyes locked onto Kemp.

Kemp’s heart pounded.

Kemp (thinking):
“So this is it…”

But suddenly—

A loud crash.

The snake roared in pain.

Alir had grabbed a broken stone and smashed it into the monster’s eye. It didn’t do much damage—but it distracted it.

Alir:
“KEMP! GET UP!”

Kemp forced himself up.

Serdihun ran to his side.

Serdihun:
“We can’t fight this thing!”
(pause)
“We have to hide!”

Kemp scanned the land quickly.

Far away, he saw something unusual.

A deep crack in the desert.

Like a giant wound in the ground.

Kemp:
“There!”
(pause)
“That canyon!”

Serdihun 2 nodded.

Serdihun 2:
“If we can reach it, the snake might not fit!”

They ran again—this time toward the canyon.

The snake chased them, furious now. Sandstorms formed behind it as it moved.

The canyon grew closer.

The ground suddenly dropped.

They jumped.

They fell hard into the canyon, rolling down the steep walls.

Kemp slammed into the ground, pain shooting through his back.

Alir cried out.

Serdihun hit her shoulder badly.

Silence followed.

High above them, the snake hissed, peering down into the crack. It tried to enter—but the space was too narrow.

It roared one last time, angry and defeated.

Slowly, the sound faded.

The monster left.

For now.

The group lay on the canyon floor, exhausted.

No one spoke for a long time.

Their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Serdihun 2 broke the silence.

Serdihun 2:
“…We’re alive.”

Alir laughed weakly.

Alir:
“I can’t believe it…”

Kemp sat up slowly.

His body hurt everywhere.

Kemp:
“This world…”
(pause)
“It’s designed to kill.”

Serdihun looked at him.

Serdihun:
“And without powers…”
(pause)
“We’re just humans.”

Kemp nodded.

Kemp:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“No hero suits.”
(pause)
“No magic.”
(pause)
“No shortcuts.”

He looked at his bleeding arm and tore a piece of cloth from his suit to wrap it.

Kemp:
“From now on…”
(pause)
“We survive like this world demands.”

Alir sat beside him.

Alir:
“What about Narkaal?”
(pause)
“What if he finds us?”

Kemp’s eyes hardened.

Kemp:
“Then we run.”
(pause)
“Or we outsmart him.”

Serdihun 2 looked up at the strange sky visible through the canyon opening.

Serdihun 2:
“There must be others here.”
(pause)
“Creatures… survivors… something.”

Serdihun added quietly.

Serdihun:
“This world doesn’t feel empty.”
(pause)
“It feels… waiting.”

A cold wind passed through the canyon.

The walls whispered.

Kemp stood up slowly.

Kemp:
“We move when the suns lower.”
(pause)
“Until then, we rest.”

They sat together, backs against the canyon wall.

No powers.

No protection.

Only trust.

Only survival.

Far away—

Something watched them.

Something intelligent.

Something ancient.

And somewhere beyond this world—

Narkaal smiled.