The Night the Prison Answered

The roar outside the house did not fade.

It grew closer.

Deeper.

Like something massive was moving slowly across the land, dragging its hunger with it.

The strange house on the black hill trembled again. The walls pulsed like a living thing reacting to fear.

Kemp tightened his grip.

Kemp:
“…That sound doesn’t belong to this world.”

George checked both of his guns calmly, even though his eyes were serious.

George:
“Kid, everything here belongs to this world.”
(pause)
“That’s the problem.”

Sarmon moved toward the wall and placed his hand against it. His eyes closed, as if he were listening.

Sarmon:
“It’s a watcher.”

Serdihun 2 felt her stomach twist.

Serdihun 2:
“A… watcher?”

Birson nodded slowly.

Birson:
“One of the prison’s guardians.”
(pause)
“They don’t protect us.”
(pause)
“They protect the cage.”

Alir stepped closer to Birson without realizing it.

Alir:
“So it’s coming because of us?”

Birson looked at her.

Birson:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“Because of Kemp.”
(pause)
“And because of what you felt inside this house.”

Kemp let out a frustrated breath.

Kemp:
“So even emotions are dangerous now.”

George smirked slightly.

George:
“Welcome to my everyday life.”

Outside, the ground shook again.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Serdihun reached for Sarmon’s arm.

Serdihun:
“What do we do?”

Sarmon opened his eyes.

They glowed faintly again.

Sarmon:
“We don’t fight it here.”

Kemp looked surprised.

Kemp:
“What? Why not?”

Birson answered.

Birson:
“This house is a shelter.”
(pause)
“If it’s destroyed…”
(pause)
“We lose more than walls.”

Serdihun 2 frowned.

Serdihun 2:
“Then where do we go?”

George pointed toward the floor.

George:
“Down.”

Everyone looked at him.

George tapped his foot twice.

George:
“There’s an old path under this place.”
(pause)
“Not even the watchers like going there.”

The house groaned loudly.

A long crack appeared across one of the walls, glowing with dark light.

Sarmon reacted instantly.

Sarmon:
“Now!”

Birson slammed his staff into the ground.

The floor split open—not violently, but smoothly, like opening a hidden door.

Cold air rushed up from below.

Kemp grabbed Serdihun 2’s hand.

Kemp:
“Stay close.”

They jumped down one by one.

The opening closed above them just as something massive slammed into the house.

The impact shook the underground tunnel.

A deep, angry roar echoed above.

Alir covered her ears.

Alir:
“That thing is huge…”

George landed lightly and looked up.

George:
“Yeah.”
(pause)
“And stupid.”

They moved quickly through the underground passage.

The tunnel was narrow, glowing faintly with old symbols carved into the stone. These symbols were different—broken, scratched, incomplete.

Serdihun 2 noticed.

Serdihun 2:
“These seals…”
(pause)
“They’re damaged.”

Sarmon nodded.

Sarmon:
“This is one of the forgotten paths.”
(pause)
“The gods abandoned it.”

Kemp felt something strange.

The pressure on his chest felt lighter.

Kemp:
“…My body feels different.”

Birson looked at him sharply.

Birson:
“You feel it too.”

Alir blinked.

Alir:
“Feel what?”

Kemp clenched his fist.

A faint spark appeared.

Very weak.

But real.

Kemp:
“…My power.”

Serdihun gasped.

Serdihun:
“Really?!”

Sarmon smiled faintly.

Sarmon:
“That is why this path is dangerous.”
(pause)
“And why it is important.”

The tunnel opened into a wide underground hall.

Broken statues lay everywhere—statues of humans, gods, and creatures that no longer existed.

In the center stood a deep pool of black water, completely still.

George stopped.

George:
“…We’re here.”

Serdihun 2 whispered.

Serdihun 2:
“Here where?”

Birson answered quietly.

Birson:
“The Echo Chamber.”

Alir looked at the water.

Alir:
“What does it do?”

George’s voice grew serious.

George:
“It shows truth.”
(pause)
“Truth people don’t want.”

The ground shook again—closer this time.

Sarmon looked toward the tunnel entrance.

Sarmon:
“The watcher is still searching.”

Kemp stepped forward.

Kemp:
“Then show me.”

Everyone looked at him.

Serdihun 2 grabbed his arm.

Serdihun 2:
“Kemp, wait!”

Kemp gently pulled free.

Kemp:
“If this world reacts to me…”
(pause)
“I need to know why.”

He stepped toward the pool.

The black water rippled.

Suddenly—

Images appeared.

Kemp saw himself as a child.

Then as Hero Kemp.

Then as Buddhist Kemprai.

Then something else.

A glowing thread stretched from his chest into darkness—connecting worlds, people, and pain.

Alir saw it too.

Serdihun saw it.

Serdihun 2 gasped.

Serdihun 2:
“…You’re not just a bridge.”
(pause)
“You’re a key.”

The pool changed.

Now it showed Sarmon and Birson.

Human once.

Laughing.

Living.

Then—

The gods.

Chains.

The prison world forming around them.

Alir’s eyes filled with tears.

Alir:
“They suffered so much…”

Birson looked away.

Birson:
“We all did.”

The water rippled again.

Now it showed the future.

Shadows breaking.

Seals cracking.

Narkaal watching in rage.

And—

A choice.

Two paths.

One led to freedom.

The other led to destruction.

Serdihun felt fear.

Serdihun:
“…Both paths are terrible.”

George spoke softly.

George:
“Welcome to leadership.”

The watcher roared above them again.

Closer.

Sarmon raised his sword.

Sarmon:
“The prison is waking.”

Birson placed his hand over Alir’s.

Birson:
“And it noticed your hearts.”

Alir squeezed his hand without thinking.

Alir:
“Then we don’t stop.”

Serdihun stepped beside Sarmon.

Serdihun:
“Even if it breaks us.”

Kemp turned to everyone.

Kemp:
“We move forward.”
(pause)
“Together.”

Serdihun 2 nodded.

Serdihun 2:
“…No matter how strange this world gets.”

George smiled proudly.

George:
“Now you sound like survivors.”

Above them, the house screamed again.

The watcher slammed into the hill.

Cracks spread across the underground ceiling.

The prison world was angry.

And afraid.

Because the echoes had begun to answer back.