Eyes in the Dark

The canyon grew darker as time passed.

The two suns slowly moved lower in the sky, and their burning light no longer reached the bottom of the deep crack. Shadows stretched along the canyon walls, twisting into strange shapes that looked alive.

Kemp sat still, his back against the cold stone.

His arm throbbed where the rock had cut him, but he ignored the pain. Right now, pain meant he was alive.

Alir hugged her knees, shivering slightly.

Alir:
“I don’t like this place…”
(pause)
“It feels like something is watching us.”

Serdihun 2 nodded slowly.

Serdihun 2:
“You’re not wrong.”
(pause)
“I feel it too.”

Serdihun stayed silent, her eyes fixed on the darkness ahead. She was listening—not just with her ears, but with instinct.

Kemp noticed her tension.

Kemp:
“Serdihun?”
(pause)
“What do you sense?”

Serdihun spoke quietly.

Serdihun:
“There are eyes here.”
(pause)
“Not the snake.”
(pause)
“Something else.”

The wind passed through the canyon again, colder this time. It carried a strange sound—not a roar, not a hiss—but something like slow breathing.

Alir grabbed Kemp’s arm.

Alir:
“Kemp…”
(pause)
“Tell me we’re not alone.”

Kemp didn’t answer right away.

He slowly stood up, careful not to make noise.

Kemp:
“We’re not alone.”
(pause)
“But whatever is here…”
(pause)
“It hasn’t attacked yet.”

That scared them more.

Darkness slowly filled the canyon as the suns dipped lower. The world above became orange, then red, then purple.

Below—

Almost black.

Serdihun 2 searched her pockets and pulled out a small broken crystal.

Serdihun 2:
“This won’t light much…”
(pause)
“But it’s better than nothing.”

She rubbed it between her fingers.

A faint blue glow appeared.

The light revealed the canyon walls more clearly.

And that’s when they saw them.

Marks.

Scratches.

Symbols carved deep into the stone.

Alir gasped.

Alir:
“These aren’t natural…”

The carvings were old—very old. Some looked like claw marks, others like writing made by hands not shaped like human hands.

Kemp stepped closer.

Kemp:
“Someone lived here.”
(pause)
“Or hid here.”

Suddenly—

A sound.

Click.

Click-click.

Serdihun raised her hand.

Serdihun:
“Stop.”

They froze.

From the darkness ahead, faint reflections appeared.

Small.

Round.

Glowing faintly.

Eyes.

Dozens of them.

Alir covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

Alir:
“…Eyes.”

The eyes didn’t move closer.

They watched.

Serdihun 2 whispered.

Serdihun 2:
“How many?”

Kemp counted quickly.

Kemp:
“Too many.”

The eyes blinked.

Then—

A voice.

Not loud.

Not threatening.

Rough and slow.

Unknown.

Voice:
“…Outsiders.”

Everyone stiffened.

Kemp stepped forward slightly.

Kemp:
“We’re not here to fight.”
(pause)
“We were thrown into this world.”

Silence followed.

The eyes shifted.

The voice spoke again.

Voice:
“…Thrown?”
(pause)
“By the god?”

Kemp’s heart skipped.

Kemp:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“Narkaal.”

The eyes moved closer.

Slow shapes emerged from the darkness.

They were tall but thin, their skin dark and rough like stone. Their eyes glowed faintly blue. They held simple weapons—sharp bones and metal scraps.

They didn’t look powerful.

They looked desperate.

One of them stepped forward.

Creature Leader:
“You survive the sand-serpent.”
(pause)
“That means you are not weak.”

Serdihun swallowed.

Serdihun:
“We barely survived.”

The creature nodded.

Creature Leader:
“That is survival.”

Alir slowly lowered her guard.

Alir:
“Who are you?”

The creature looked at her for a long moment.

Creature Leader:
“We are the Hollow Ones.”
(pause)
“We hide from the hunters.”
(pause)
“And from the god’s eyes.”

Kemp frowned.

Kemp:
“The god watches this world too?”

The Hollow One laughed softly—but there was no joy in it.

Creature Leader:
“He watches everything.”
(pause)
“But he does not rule here.”
(pause)
“He uses this world as a cage.”

Serdihun 2 whispered.

Serdihun 2:
“A prison world…”

The Hollow One nodded.

Creature Leader:
“For monsters.”
(pause)
“For failures.”
(pause)
“For those he cannot destroy.”

Alir felt cold.

Alir:
“So we’re trapped?”

The Hollow One looked directly at Kemp.

Creature Leader:
“No.”
(pause)
“You are different.”

Kemp:
“How?”

The creature stepped closer.

Creature Leader:
“The god did not throw you here to forget you.”
(pause)
“He threw you here to break you.”

Kemp clenched his fists.

Kemp:
“He won’t.”

The Hollow One studied him.

Creature Leader:
“Many said that.”
(pause)
“Most died.”

Serdihun stepped forward.

Serdihun:
“If you hide here…”
(pause)
“Then you know how to survive.”

Creature Leader:
“Yes.”

Kemp nodded.

Kemp:
“Then teach us.”

The Hollow Ones exchanged glances.

Finally, the leader spoke.

Creature Leader:
“You must learn three things.”
(pause)
“Silence.”
(pause)
“Movement.”
(pause)
“And fear.”

Alir frowned.

Alir:
“Fear?”

Creature Leader:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“Fear keeps you alive here.”

They led the group deeper into the canyon, through narrow paths only locals could see. Hidden shelters appeared—small caves covered with stones and bones.

Inside one shelter, they finally rested properly.

The darkness felt safer here.

But still—

Eyes watched.

Kemp sat quietly.

His thoughts drifted to Earth.

To his friends.

To the Watchers.

To Narkaal.

Kemp (thinking):
“You wanted to break me…”
(pause)
“You failed.”

Outside the shelter—

High above the canyon—

Something massive moved across the sky.

Not the snake.

Something worse.

The Hollow Ones went silent.

Creature Leader (whispering):
“…The Night Hunter.”

Kemp looked toward the darkness.

His heart beat faster.

This world had layers of horror.

And they had only just arrived.

But Kemp’s eyes burned with quiet determination.

No powers.

No magic.

Only will.

Kemp (quietly):
“We survive.”
(pause)
“Then we escape.”
(pause)
“And then…”
(pause)
“We end this.”

Far away—

In another dimension—

Narkaal felt something he had not expected.

Resistance.

And he frowned.