The forest erupted with screams and terrifying sounds, the heavy thud of footsteps shattering its usual tranquility. Branches swayed violently with each rush. Ryan raced like a beast unleashed from its cage, tearing through the tree trunks at breakneck speed, his eyes following the kidnappers who carried the bound child across their shoulders. The wind whipped across his face, and every cell in his body urged him to catch up, closer, until he could see them.
Suddenly, from among the twisting trees, Kyle appeared before him as if drawn there by the wind, raising his hand sharply, his voice cutting through the dust: "Stop it, you idiot! You want to mess up the line!"
But Ryan didn't reply. He gave a fleeting smile. "Too late. We're too close."
Kyle had no time to argue; he followed him. In an instant, the two were like shadows, moving in uncanny synchronicity, as if their thoughts were in perfect unison. Ryan swooped down from above, his fist slamming into the ground as he slammed into one of the kidnappers. Kyle raised his hand, and a gust of light wind swept three of the thieves away, his power almost imperceptible. One of the kidnappers screamed before collapsing, followed by a brief silence, then the baby's trembling cries.
Kyle quickly reached out and carefully scooped the child into his arms. He looked at him reassuringly. "It's over. You're all right now."
Then he turned to Ryan, who was wiping blood from his hand and grinning smugly. "Didn't I tell you I needed a little fight?"
Kyle sighed in exasperation. "Enough talk. We saved him. Let's leave before the princesses arrive and we get into another mess."
But before they could move, a sharp crackle rose from the trees, accompanied by a strong wind carrying the strange scent of wildflowers. From the other side, Princess Felisa of the Sands appeared, her steps firm and her eyes blazing with fury. Beside her stood Princess Arina of the Forest, whose feet seemed to spin with the earth itself.
"You two!" Felisa roared. "Leave my brother alone!"
Ryan and Kyle exchanged a quick glance, and before they could speak, the two princesses charged toward them. Sand swirled around Felisa like a small storm, while twisted branches rose from the ground at Arina's command as she tried to catch them.
Ryan leaped back, dodging one of the blows, and said with a laugh,
"Perfect! Just what I wanted from the start!"
Kyle turned to Ryan and said in a barely audible voice, "Don't use your powers! You'll give us away!"
The two began to deflect the attacks with minimal effort, moving nimbly and blocking blows without unleashing a single spark of their true power. Ryan's kicks were rock-solid, Kyle's speed like the wind, but they both seemed to be on the defensive.
Arina crept closer, her eyes blazing emerald. "She's kidnapped her brother!" she screamed. "I won't let anyone get away with this!"
Just as she was about to deliver the final blow, a small voice boomed behind her, trembling but clear: "Stop it, sister!"
Everyone froze. The two princesses turned to find Felisa's brother standing behind Kyle and Ryan, clutching Kyle's clothes tightly. Tears still streamed down his cheeks as he said, his voice shaking, "These two men are the ones who saved me from the kidnappers!"
There was a brief silence. Felisa looked at Arina in surprise, then took a step back, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "Is that true?"
Kyle stepped forward calmly, a slight frown masking his unease. "We're... just tourists. We were traversing kingdoms in search of beauty and knowledge, and we arrived in the Forest Kingdom this morning. We didn't know a royal procession was coming. When we saw the attack, we couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so we moved to protect the child."
Arina looked at him intently, as if trying to read between the lines. Their auras were almost nonexistent, their clothes simple, nothing suspicious. Finally, she smiled. "So... it seems we misjudged you. Thank you for what you did."
Felice lowered her head slightly and added in a quieter voice, "Yes, we owe you both an apology."
Kyle waved his hand with feigned humility. "There's no need for that. What we did was a humanitarian duty. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way."
But Arina wouldn't let them go. She gently raised her hand and said, her voice thick with curiosity, "Wait, before you leave... show your faces. I want to see who saved my friend's brother."
Kyle and Ryan exchanged a quick glance. It was a delicate moment, but a refusal would raise suspicion, so they slowly removed their masks.
A gentle breeze brushed their faces, and Arena's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the two young men with their unusual, almost noble features.
"You saved a royal life," Arena smiled, her voice tinged with mysterious sweetness. "We can't let you go without a reward. Come to the palace; we'll celebrate your heroism as befits your purpose."
Kyle was about to object, but before he could speak, an idea struck him: "The palace... the kingdom's treasures... this is an opportunity that won't come again."
He smiled faintly. "Well, if that's the princess's wish, we won't refuse her invitation."
Ryan chuckled softly. "Finally," he said sarcastically, "we'll get some rest."
And so, as the sun's rays filtered through the branches of the forest, the royal procession moved on once more, with Kyle and Ryan, who were no longer just rescuers, but heroes in the eyes of two princesses, now on their way to reclaim their families' treasures.