The Voice Behind the Door
The lantern went out.
Ren froze. For a few seconds, there was nothing but darkness.
Then the whisper came again.
"Ren…"
He turned toward the sound. "Kazuki?"
"I'm here."
Kazuki's voice came from directly behind him. Ren reached back until his hand found Kazuki's sleeve.
The red light beneath the door grew brighter. A faint line appeared across the stone, as if something on the other side was tracing the edges from within.
Ren stared at it. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"My name."
Kazuki was silent for a moment. "No."
Ren looked at him.
The voice came again.
"Ren…"
This time, Kazuki heard it too. His expression changed. "That wasn't you."
Ren shook his head.
The stone door suddenly moved.
Not outward.
Inward.
A narrow gap opened between them, and cold air poured through.
Beyond the doorway was a small chamber. At its centre stood a wooden table covered in dust. On the table rested an old book.
Ren stepped inside. Kazuki followed.
The red light disappeared as soon as they crossed the threshold.
Ren approached the table. The book had a black cover, worn at the edges. A rose surrounded by thorns had been carved into it.
Ren's breathing slowed.
"This is the book."
"The one your father destroyed?"
Ren nodded. "But how?"
He carefully opened it.
Most of the pages were blank.
Then he reached the middle.
There was writing there.
THE BLOODLINE DID NOT END.
Ren stared at the sentence.
Below it were two names.
One had been scratched away.
The other remained visible.
REN.
His fingers tightened around the page.
"Kazuki…"
"I see it."
Ren turned the page.
A drawing appeared. It showed the same underground passage they were standing in, but beneath the drawing was another image—a door surrounded by roses.
Underneath it were three words:
THE FIRST DOOR.
Ren frowned. "There are more?"
Kazuki looked at the drawing. "If this is the first door…"
A noise came from behind them.
Both turned.
The stone entrance had closed.
Ren hurried toward it and pushed against the surface.
Nothing happened.
"Kazuki."
"I know."
He examined the walls. "There has to be another way out."
Ren returned to the table.
The book was still open.
But the writing had changed.
A new sentence had appeared.
HE IS ALREADY INSIDE.
Ren stared at it.
"Who?"
The answer appeared slowly across the page.
THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN WATCHING YOU.
A sharp sound echoed through the chamber.
Footsteps.
One.
Two.
Three.
Someone was walking somewhere beyond the walls.
Ren lowered the book.
"Kazuki…"
The footsteps stopped.
Silence returned.
Then came a quiet knock.
Not from the door.
From inside the wall beside Ren.
Ren stepped backward.
Another knock.
This time, a voice followed.
"Open it."
Ren looked at Kazuki.
Kazuki shook his head. "Don't."
The wall cracked.
A thin line of red light appeared between the stones.
And from somewhere behind them, the old book closed by itself.