Screen fades in…
Waves crash. The sky darkens. Storm stands at the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean—calm, finally breathing after killing Felix and nearly dying himself. The others sleep back at their camp, exhausted.
Storm: "Peace… damn, I forgot what this felt like."
A soft breeze slides in from behind him.
A calm voice:
"You know… the wind doesn't lie."
Storm turns around slowly.
Xeno stands there—hood down, silver hair floating even though the wind is dead still. His eyes? Sharp. Cold. Focused.
Storm:
"Look who finally decided to show up. Mr 'strategic retreat.'"
Xeno clicks his tongue.
Xeno:
"First of all—it's called repositioning."
Beat.
"…fine. I ran. You were getting folded like laundry, I panicked, don't judge me."
Storm smirks.
Storm:
"Bro you left so fast the WIND was surprised."
Xeno:
"Funny. Really. But we're not here for jokes."
The wind suddenly shifts—so sharp it cuts a tree behind Storm clean in half.
Storm:
"…the hell?"
Xeno steps forward, expression serious.
Xeno:
"I came to fight. To test you. To understand what you are. Because Felix? Robot Hunter? Those were jokes compared to what waits outside our universe."
Storm raises a brow.
Storm:
"Damn… not even a hello?"
Xeno ignores it.
Xeno:
"Your powers. They shift with your emotions. That shouldn't be possible. Not at your age. Not with your blood."
He points.
"So I need to know if you're fit to carry it… or if you're just a walking disaster waiting to explode."
Storm cracks his neck.
Storm:
"You could've just asked."
Xeno lowers into stance.
Xeno:
"Storm… if I asked…"
Wind screams around his body, forming a spiraling cyclone up his arm.
"…you would've said no."
BANG—THE WIND IMPLODES.
Xeno disappears.
Storm:
"What the—"
A boot SLAMS into Storm's ribs from the side so fast the air detonates.
BOOM!!!
Storm goes flying through three boulders.
Storm (wheezing):
"AAAAAH—FUCK—"
Xeno appears behind him, calm as ever, hands behind his back.
Xeno:
"Storm. Rule one of wind combat—if you hear it, you're already dead."
Storm wipes blood from his mouth.
Storm:
"Aight… bet."
He charges—but Xeno twists lightly and uses air pressure to redirect Storm straight into the ground like a ragdoll.
Storm:
"BRO LET ME HIT SOMETHING—"
Xeno:
"Hit yourself."
Xeno flicks a finger.
A compressed sphere of air EXPLODES at Storm's chest point blank.
Storm flies backward, rolling across the ground like a skipped rock.
Raven in the distance (half asleep):
"…is… Storm getting his ass beat again…?"
Falls back asleep.
Storm stands—limping, annoyed.
Storm:
"You done?"
Xeno:
"No. I've barely touched you."
He lifts his hand.
A vortex forms… a small, spinning ball of compressed air so dense it bends the trees around them.
Storm:
"…okay that one actually looks dangerous—"
Xeno launches it.
Storm crosses arms.
VRRROOOOOM—BOOOOMMMM!!!
The vortex sends Storm into the sky, spinning him like a fidget spinner.
Storm:
"AIGHT—TIME OUT—TIME OUT—TIME OUT—"
Xeno appears ABOVE him mid-air.
Xeno:
"No timeouts."
He kicks Storm downward—
Storm slams into the water with enough force to split the ocean briefly.
Storm sinks deep.
We get a shot underwater—Storm floating, bleeding, thinking.
Storm (thinking):
"…I'm tired… of everyone testing me… trying me… doubting me…"
His lightning flickers faint red under the water.
Storm (thinking):
"…but this guy… ain't even trying to kill me… he's trying to TEACH me…"
Storm opens his eyes. They glow red.
He bursts from the water in a red-black explosion.
Storm (furious):
"MY TURN!"
Xeno smiles.
Xeno:
"Finally."
Storm moves—FAST. Faster than he did with Felix. Almost teleporting.
Storm swings. Xeno dodges with tiny movements, barely shifting.
Storm:
"STOP—MOVING—SO—SMOOTH—"
Xeno:
"It's called technique."
Storm:
"It's called cheating!"
Storm tries a roundhouse. Xeno jumps slightly—wind holds him mid-air.
Storm:
"Bro… are you FLOATING?!"
Xeno:
"Wind walker. Very advanced. Very cool. You're welcome."
Storm growls—lightning turning deeper red.
Storm:
"Okay. Enough playing."
He slams his fists together—
Red-black lightning flares everywhere.
Storm:
"Let's see you dodge THIS."
Storm unleashes a burst—a massive explosive shockwave.
Xeno can't dodge—Storm hits him square in the chest, sending him flying back through trees.
But Xeno flips mid-air, lands gently.
Xeno:
"…not bad."
Coughs blood.
"…okay, maybe a little bad."
Storm cracks a smile.
Storm:
"You're tough."
Xeno:
"And you're emotional."
Storm:
"…thanks?"
Xeno laughs lightly.
Xeno:
"Storm… you're strong. Too strong. But your emotions… they're unstable. Expand your rage too far…"
He points at Storm's red-black crackling aura.
"…and you'll destroy everything. Even the ones you love."
Storm looks down. Fists trembling.
Storm:
"I don't know how to stop feeling things."
Xeno:
"You don't."
He pats Storm's shoulder.
"You learn to control the WIND of your emotions. Not erase it."
Storm:
"…why help me?"
Xeno looks away, expression dark.
Xeno:
"Because something is coming, Storm… something not even your governors fear."
A pause.
"And if you lose control when it arrives… we all die."
Storm gulps.
Storm:
"So… did I pass?"
Xeno smirks.
Xeno:
"You survived. That's close enough."
Storm:
"…you still ran tho."
Xeno:
"Shut up before I throw you back into the ocean."
Storm:
"Try me cloud-breather."
Xeno:
"Say it again."
Storm:
"CLOUD. BREATH—"
Xeno launches a wind blast sending Storm flying off the cliff again.
Storm (in the distance):
"I DESERVE THAT—BUT STILL—"
Screen fades out