At the top floor, the air filled with piercing screams. The crowd's panic reached a fever pitch as the ship began to tilt slightly, buffeted by a sudden, deafening roar.
From every side, a massive tornado encircled the cruise, its dark vortex stretching high into the sky. Wind whipped violently, and the sea churned with relentless fury.
Someone whispered in horror, their voice trembling, "So… this is death?"
Aryan stood at the railing, his wide eyes fixed on the swirling tempest. To him, it felt alien—unnatural, as though the storm had a purpose beyond destruction. His heart raced, and his hands gripped the cold metal rail tightly.
Violet clutched his arm. "What's happening? This… this isn't real!"
A fiery rock descended rapidly toward Violet, its heat searing the air around her. She froze, fear gripping her as she closed her eyes tightly, bracing for the end.
Seconds passed. No pain. No fire.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. A hand was stretched out before her, charred at the edges but firm, shielding her. It was Aryan. His face was calm, his silent courage speaking volumes.
"Aryan…" Violet whispered, her voice trembling with gratitude and awe.
Nearby, Khusi watched with wide eyes, her lips curling into an excited grin. "Impressive," he muttered, feeling a surge of adrenaline.
But the calm was short-lived. Another massive fireball erupted from the ocean, hurtling toward the panicked crowd. This time, Khusi sprang into action. With a perfectly executed high kick, he sent the flaming mass spinning back into the air. The crowd gasped in disbelief.
A wave of admiration swept over the girls on the deck. "Wow! Protect us, Khusi!" they cried, rushing toward him. Khusi smirked, puffing his chest out. "Ladies, don't worry. I've got this!" he said with a wink, immediately launching into light-hearted flirting.
Richard, watching from a distance, clenched his fists. His jealousy flared as he muttered, "Show-off…"
Just then, another fireball emerged, larger and fiercer than the last, hurtling toward the group. Before Khusi could react, Richard stepped forward, his voice booming with authority. "Girls, it's dangerous here. Step back! Leave this one to me."
The sincerity in his tone silenced the chatter. His words carried weight, bringing tears to some of the girls' eyes.
Crossing his arms in a defensive stance, Richard faced the fiery threat head-on. With a surge of strength, he blocked the fireball, his silhouette standing tall against the fiery light. When he turned back to the group, the admiration in their eyes was unmistakable.
"Stay calm," Richard said firmly, his voice steady. "We'll all get through this together."
Richard screamed, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The searing pain shot through his body as he collapsed to his knees. His hands were blistered and charred, one arm hanging limply—broken from the impact.
Khusi and Aryan rushed to him, alarmed. "Richard! What happened?" Khusi asked, crouching beside him. Aryan looked at his friend, his expression a mix of concern and urgency, his hands already gesturing toward the sky.
Richard's eyes widened as he saw three massive fireballs erupt from the ocean, hurtling directly toward them. Fear paralyzed him, his throat tightening as he tried to warn them. But no words came out—only a strangled gasp.
"Ahhhhhh!" Richard screamed again, louder this time, his voice raw with terror. The sound jolted Khusi and Aryan, who turned to see the fiery masses streaking through the sky.
The fireballs closed in, their heat radiating like an oncoming storm. Time was running out.
As the fireballs closed in, Aryan's right hand and Khusi's left hand suddenly shot upward, pointing at each other. Neither of them moved intentionally; their hands acted on their own, glowing faintly with a strange energy.
The fireballs collided with an invisible barrier between their hands, exploding into harmless sparks that rained down like fireworks.
"What… just happened?" Richard muttered, his voice trembling.
Aryan and Khusi turned to face each other, their expressions calm but resolute.
Khusi smirked and said, "Looks like our time has come again, brother."
From a small gap in the crowd, Violet watched the scene unfold, her breath hitching. She clutched the railing tightly, her mind racing. "Who… what are they?" she whispered to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the brothers.
The number of fireballs multiplied rapidly—now a hundred blazing rocks rained down from the sky, their fiery trails lighting up the chaotic scene. The crowd on the cruise fell into despair, screams turning into silence as they gave up hope.
"This is it," someone muttered. "We're done for."
Aryan and Khusi stood still, their faces calm yet focused. Slowly, they closed their eyes, inhaling deeply as the storm raged around them. The fireballs neared, but the brothers were unfazed.
"Let's go," Khusi said, darting to the left.
Aryan nodded silently, dashing to the right.
With incredible speed and precision, the two moved across the top of the cruise. Khusi launched into a spinning kick, deflecting a cluster of fireballs back toward the ocean, their impact creating massive splashes. Aryan followed, his fists moving like lightning as he punched through the fiery projectiles, scattering them into harmless sparks.
The brothers seemed to blur as they moved, covering the entire deck in seconds. Each fireball that neared the crowd was deflected with swift, powerful strikes. The air filled with the sounds of explosions, but none touched the people.
Onlookers watched in stunned silence, their despair replaced by awe. "Who are they?" someone whispered.
"They're saving us," another murmured, tears streaming down their face.
As the last fireball was sent hurtling back into the ocean, Khusi and Aryan skidded to a stop, standing back-to-back. The deck was eerily quiet except for the sound of the ocean and the crackling remnants of the fire.
Aryan looked at Khusi, his face calm but resolute. Khusi smirked. "Not bad, brother."
"They're... they're guardians," someone whispered in awe.
The fireballs stopped mid-air, freezing like frozen stars in the sky. The air grew still, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, a deep, thunderous voice echoed from the core of the tornado, its power shaking the very foundations of the ship.
"Damn brats! Don't spoil my plan!" The voice rumbled, its tone filled with malice. "Both of you are above human level, but you're not up to a Guardian's level."
The wind howled around them, but Khusi stood tall, his gaze unwavering. "Whoever you are," he shouted, his voice carrying through the storm, "just come outside. Let's settle this."
The tornado twisted violently, the skies darkening further, as if answering Khusi's challenge.