The forest was abuzz with screams, terrified voices, and the thud of heavy footsteps shattering its usual tranquility. Its branches swayed violently with every rush. Ryan ran like a beast unleashed from its cage, slashing between the logs at breakneck speed, his eyes following the kidnappers who carried the bound child across their shoulders. The wind whipped against his face, and every cell in his body urged him to keep up, closer, until he could see them.
Suddenly, from among the twisting trees, Kyle appeared before him as if the wind had drawn him there, 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 just gave a brief smile and said, "It's too late for that. We're too close."
Kyle had no time for argument; he just went after him. In an instant, the two were like shadows, moving with uncanny synchronicity, as if their thoughts were in unison. Ryan swooped down from above, his fist crushing the ground as he slammed into one of the kidnappers. Kyle raised his hand, and a whirlwind of tiny winds swept three of the thieves away, his energy unseen. One of the kidnappers screamed before collapsing, followed by a brief silence, then the child's trembling cries.
Kyle quickly reached out and carefully scooped the baby into his arms. He looked at him reassuringly and said, "It's over. You're all right now."
Then he turned to Ryan, who was wiping blood from his hand and smiling smugly. "Didn't I tell you I needed a little fight?"
Kyle sighed in exasperation. "Enough talk. We've saved him. Let's leave before the princesses arrive and we get into another mess."
But before they could move, sharp sounds drifted from the trees, accompanied by a strong wind carrying the strange scent of wildflowers. From the other direction, the Sand Princess, Felisa, appeared with determined steps and a burning anger in her eyes, and beside her, the Jungle Princess, Arina, whose feet seemed to be swirling with the very earth itself.
"You two!" Felisa roared. "Let my brother go!"
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 twisting branches shot up 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 energy! He'll give us away!"
The two of them 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-hard, Kyle's speed like the wind, but they appeared to be on the defensive.
Arina approached stealthily, her eyes blazing emerald, and screamed, "You kidnapped her brother! I won't let anyone get away with it!"
Just as she was about to deliver the final blow, a small voice boomed behind her, a trembling but clear voice: "Stop, sister!"
Everyone froze. The two princesses turned to find Felisa's brother standing behind Kyle and Ryan, gripping Kyle's clothes tightly. Tears still streamed down his cheeks as he said, his voice trembling, "These two men are the ones who... saved me from the kidnappers!"
A brief silence followed. Felisa looked at Arena in surprise, then took a step back, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "Is that true?"
Kyle stepped forward calmly, offering a faint smile that skillfully masked his unease. "We're... just tourists. We were traveling the kingdoms in search of beauty and knowledge, and we arrived in the Forest Kingdom this morning. We didn't know a royal procession would be passing through. When we saw the attack, we couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so we acted to protect the child."
Arena looked at him intently, as if trying to read between the lines. Their auras were almost nonexistent, their clothes simple, nothing to suggest anything suspicious. Finally, she smiled. "So... it seems we misjudged you. Thank you for what you did."
Felisa 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. What we did was a humanitarian duty. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way."
But Arena wouldn't let them go. She raised her hand gently and said, her voice laced 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. This was a delicate moment, but refusing would only arouse suspicion, so they slowly removed their masks.
A gentle breeze brushed their faces, and Arena's eyes widened slightly as she took in the two young men with unusual features, almost like noblemen.
Arena smiled and said with mysterious kindness, "You have saved a royal life, and we cannot let you leave without a reward. Come to the palace; we will 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 will not come again."
He smiled faintly and said, "Well, if that is the princess's wish, we will not refuse her invitation."
Ryan chuckled softly and said sarcastically, "Finally, we will get some rest."
And so, as the sun's rays filtered through the branches of the forest, the royal procession moved on once more, led by Kyle and Ryan, who were no longer mere saviors, but guests in the heart of the palace that concealed their true purpose deep within… the palace that awaited those who would steal its forbidden treasures.