The storm struck without warning, a deafening roar that seemed to swallow the world. The cruise ship lurched, creaking under the force of the cyclone, waves crashing violently against it. Panic spread like wildfire. Screams echoed through the ship, a frantic chorus of terror.
Aryan felt the ship tilt beneath his feet, his pulse racing. He couldn't speak, but his mind screamed with urgency—Where's my brother? He pushed through the crowd, searching the faces around him, desperate.
Then, through the chaos, he spotted Voilet, her face pale with fear as she frantically searched for her mother. She was alone, lost in the storm of panic. Aryan didn't hesitate. He reached out, grabbing her trembling hand.
Her wide eyes met his, and in that silent moment, they both understood. Aryan pulled her close, motioning with his hands, urging her to follow. He couldn't speak, but his grip was firm. There was no time to waste. They needed to get to the top deck, the only place that might offer safety.
The ship tilted further, and people were thrown to the ground, scrambling over each other. Aryan held onto Voilet, guiding her through the madness. His heart raced, the weight of the storm pressing in on him.
The wind howled in their ears, the ship groaning and creaking under the relentless force of the cyclone. Aryan's eyes never left Voilet as he led her up the stairs, step by shaky step. His silence was deafening in the chaos, but his actions spoke louder than any words could.
The top deck was their only hope now. Every moment felt like a fight against time. Aryan held Voilet's hand tighter, pushing forward, knowing that whatever came next, they had to survive.
The dark ocean rippled unnaturally under the pale moonlight. Something enormous and glistening broke the surface—a shape covered in shimmering scales and writhing tendrils.
"Aryan! What is it?" Violet shouted, panic rising in her voice. She stumbled closer, her flickering flashlight barely catching the monstrous form.
Aryan couldn't answer—he never could—but his wide eyes and trembling hands said everything. He pointed frantically at the thing, his chest heaving as the thing let out a guttural roar that shook the shore.
"Run!" Violet screamed, grabbing his arm. But before they could move, something cold and slimy snaked around Aryan's ankle, dragging him toward the waves.
Violet edged closer to the railing, her flashlight trembling. When she finally saw it, her breath hitched, and her mouth went dry—a colossal spear, glowing with molten lava, rising from the depths. It towered at least five times higher than the cruise ship, its heat making the air shimmer around it.
The tides roared, slamming against the hull. Water began pouring onto the lower decks through an unseen breach. Alarms blared as passengers from the lower floors scrambled upward, their panicked cries echoing through the corridors.
Violet turned back toward Aryan, her heart pounding. "We're sinking!" she mouthed, her voice lost in the chaos.
The emergency alarm blared: "Everyone leave the base floor and get to the highest floor immediately! Base floor will be sealed in a few minutes!"
Panic erupted as people rushed to the stairs. Among them, Rina—Violet's mother—struggled to keep up. The crowd surged forward, leaving her behind. Her heels slipped on the wet floor, and she fell hard, the rising water quickly enveloping her.
She gasped and thrashed, trying to stand, but the flood surged relentlessly, dragging her down. Her fingers clawed at the edges of the staircase, but the current was too strong.
At the top floor, Khusi and Richard spotted Aryan near the railing, his face pale and tense. They approached him cautiously.
"Is everything okay?" Khusi asked. Aryan shook his head, his trembling hands gesturing toward Violet.
"I haven't seen my mom for a long time," Violet said urgently. "Can we go down and look for her?"
Richard placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about her," he said with forced calm. "She must be here somewhere on the top floor. Once the base gates are sealed, everything will be under control.
Khusi swatted Richard's hand away. "What?" he snapped, turning to him, his frustration clear. But Khusi didn't respond. He stood frozen, his wide eyes locked on the sky, faces a mask of shock.
"Just look…" he finally whispered, his voice trembling.
Richard followed his gaze behind him, and his breath hitched. From the ocean, a towering fountain of fire erupted, spiraling upward like a volcano unleashing its wrath. The flames roared and crackled, painting the dark sky in shades of orange and red.
Everyone on the top floor stood paralyzed, their panic momentarily overtaken by sheer awe and terror at the sight of the fire breathing from the sea. The air grew thick with heat, and the ship trembled beneath their feet.
"Ahah… ahah… ahahh…" Rina coughed violently, spitting out water as her chest heaved. Her eyes fluttered open, blurred at first, then slowly focusing. She saw her trembling hands clutching the edge of the staircase and realized she was out of the water.
Someone had saved her.
She looked up and saw a man in a swipper's uniform crouching beside her. "Thank you," she gasped, her voice weak but grateful.
The man turned, and her breath caught in her throat. "You?" Rina whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief. It was her husband.
"What… how… how are you here?" she stammered, her heart pounding with a mix of shock and relief.
"I'm always near," he replied, his voice calm yet firm. "Around our daughter. I know you never truly cared for her the way you should have. So I decided to stay close, even if it meant watching her from a distance."
Rina's eyes filled with tears, her lips trembling as he continued.
"But let me tell you something." His voice grew heavier, the weight of his words cutting deep. "The money you've been chasing? It didn't save you today. It's my love for you—despite everything—that made me risk my life to pull you out of that water."
Rina's tears spilled freely now, her hands trembling as she reached for him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I see it now. I've been blind, selfish. I've made so many mistakes."
Her gaze softened, filled with desperation and hope. "Please… come back to us. Let's leave together. You, me, and our daughter."
He smiled, holding her arms tightly. "I've been waiting for this day," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.
Before Rina could respond, a desperate voice rang out from the other side of the deck. "Help! Please, someone save my daughter!" The cry pierced through the chaos, filled with anguish.
Violet's father stiffened, his head snapping toward the voice. Without hesitation, he stood, ready to move.
Rina grabbed his hand, her grip firm. "No! Don't leave me," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "It's dangerous. Let's get out of here together!"
He turned back to her, his expression soft but resolute. "There's someone out there who needs to be by their daughter's side, just like I needed to be with ours," he said gently. "Let me help her. You go find Violet. Be with her. She needs you now."
Rina shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "But—what if you don't come back?"
He smiled, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Don't worry about me. I'll return somehow—for you and for our daughter. I promise."
Before she could stop him, he slipped his hand free and rushed toward the cry for help. Rina stood frozen for a moment, her heart breaking, but then she turned and began climbing toward the top floor to find Violet.
Violet's father grabbed a random person by the arm, urgency blazing in his eyes. "Where's your daughter?"
"She's in Room B 206!" the woman cried, tears streaming down her face. "The water—she's trapped!"
Without hesitation, he plunged into the cold, rising water, pushing against the surging current as the emergency countdown began to seal the basement floor:
30… 29… 28…
The corridors were nearly submerged, the lights flickering as he swam deeper. Gasping for air, he found Room B 206. The door wouldn't budge at first, but with a powerful shove, he forced it open. Inside, a little girl clung to a floating piece of furniture, sobbing.
"Come on," he whispered, grabbing her gently and wrapping her in his arms.
15… 14… 13…
He fought his way back, the girl clutching him tightly. The current grew stronger, pulling him back toward the depths, but he pushed forward with all his strength.
03… 02… 01…
The base gates slammed shut.