The night had wrapped the ship in silence; only the slap of waves against the hull and the whisper of wind through narrow vents could be heard.
Parwin sat in a corner of the cabin, hunched over a small device, wires strewn around him and sparks occasionally flying from his screwdriver. He fitted the final component with quiet care and tuned the gauges, the machine purring obediently under his hands.
On the other side, Neulfer sat by the window, gently combing Lilia's hair; the silky strands shimmered under the lamp's light. The little girl stared wordlessly into the darkness beyond the glass.
Adam stood at the door, the cordless phone in his hand, his voice low but keen. "Yes, we left the port three days ago… no, no one's tracked us yet."
He glanced up toward Parwin, who was fully absorbed in the radio, and asked in a dry tone, "Will it work?"
Parwin nodded quickly, then pressed the radio's power. A confused hum filled the cabin, followed by fragmentary, strange sounds—languages they did not understand, as if coded signals.
Neulfer bent forward in worry and whispered, trembling, "It's the first time they've spoken in these codes…"
Parwin's eyes widened in astonishment, as if the blood in his veins had frozen. "Why would this signal reach here… out at sea?"
Silence fell, heavy with tension, then the three of them dashed to the ship's rail, trying to spot any island. But the sea before them was boundless: dark and calm… nothing.
Adam turned to Parwin with concern. "Where are Nareman and Nora? They're late!"
Suddenly, a powerful aura flooded them, its density suffocating the very air. They froze for a moment, unable to pinpoint its source.
Parwin launched himself at once, sprinting toward the aura's user.
Adam turned to his wife in a sharp voice: "Stay with the children in the room… don't go out — it's the aura of a first-rank power-user."
Then he too rushed toward the user, determined to confront them.
They hurried through corridors and down to the ship's lower decks, where the salt-and-damp scent rose. In the lower compartment, the girl wielding power stood surrounded by her water-chains, coiling through the space like serpents. They trapped Nareman and Nora, cutting off escape and choking the air with the crushing pressure of water.
She sensed their arrival and turned to them slowly, her gaze cool and appraising. Parwin leapt at her with his sword in a furious strike, but she easily parried with her chains, staring at him with a look of astonishment. A wide smile curved her lips—malevolent and confident. "There are so many Power Manipulators… how lucky I am!," she said.
She shoved Parwin back, tilted her head, and smiled slyly. "Answer me — are you of the first… or the second?"
Adam's eyes widened at her words and he bellowed, "Parwin! Kill her now!"
He dashed toward his daughters to pull them away from the compartment.
Before he could reach them, the girl moved with astonishing lightness—her footsteps nearly soundless. In a blink, her shining chain sharpened into a cold, dripping water-sword. She lunged, one blow shattering Parwin's blade and a quick thrust slicing into his shoulder. He reeled back in pain; blood spattered across the metal floor.
She wasted no time. In a blur, the sword wavered, instantly snapping back into a sharp, rigid chain. It lunged at Adam like an arrow, struck him with force, and flung his body violently against the cabin wall, shaking the space.
Adam teetered on the edge of unconsciousness while Nareman and Nora cried out in unison, "Father!!"
Nareman rose, fury blazing in her chest; Adam, gasping, managed, "N… Nora… stop her…"
Nora leapt atop Nareman and wrapped her arms around her, trying to restrain her, but Nareman spun on her in a fury. "What are you doing? Get away!!"
Adam trembled, the pain eating at him, but the panic in his mind was louder: "We are truly in peril! My power is earth and stone... and we are out at sea!" He struggled to think, Could there be rocks beneath this vast depth? My control would be weak, "but I have no choice. I must try!" He looked up at Parwin, who clutched his bleeding shoulder, and gave a sharp, decisive nod.
The girl eyed Nareman coolly. "I don't sense your aura… Are you a manipulator of power, or a useless human who only talks?"
Then she glanced upward with a wicked smile. "Is the power-user above… your mother?"
Nareman and Nora froze; tension and fear flitted across their faces, facing the imminent threat.
Nora stared for a long moment at her father, then suddenly stepped between Nareman and the girl. She drew back her hand and formed a bow and arrow of lightning, a ringing thunder filling the cabin as she prepared to release
The girl sneered. "What will you do? I'll admit your power is stronger than mine, but I don't think you're in a position to aim at me."
Nareman looked around at the water-soaked space, then gripped Nora's shoulder in a tense, calm voice. "Stop… we'll all get hurt if you shoot."
Nora stood her ground, unmoved.
The girl continued to taunt Nora, trying to provoke her into releasing the bolt, but Nora did not waver. Suddenly, Parwin leapt and grabbed the girl tightly; she cried out in confusion. "What are you doing? Let me go!!"
She spat thin water-arrows toward him, but he held on stubbornly despite the pain.
He stamped his foot hard; the ground beneath him melted away, and the girl noticed, smiling maliciously. "What are you doing? You too! Water will be my ally if it seeps in here."
Parwin's expression did not change. Abruptly, a rocky barrier erupted from beneath the ship in a swift surge. The vessel halted harshly and shuddered; passengers screamed in terror. Parwin fell back onto the floor; the barrier encircled the girl, leaving only a narrow opening before Nora.
The girl panicked inside the rock ring, her eyes widening as she sensed the danger. Adam shouted with all his strength, "Fire!!!"
Nora released the bolt. It streaked through the narrow gap with a flash, piercing the barrier with a thunderous crack. The girl screamed, her cry echoing through the cabin — a blend of pain and terror.
As tension reached its peak, the rocky barrier began to crumble. The hole in the ship sealed; the leak and violent shaking ceased. The girl collapsed to the floor, charred, motionless, leaving a shocking sight behind.
Nora turned away, closed her eyes, and covered her face with her hands, unable to face what she had done. Nareman, stunned and dizzy, trembled and felt nausea overwhelm her. She tried to steady herself but could not, and she slumped, losing consciousness.
Everyone felt the presence of another power-user; they all spun toward the cabin door to see a young man in a black hoodie standing there, shock etched across his face, eyes wide as he stared at the fallen girl. He stepped forward, his eyes blazing, and his voice exploded with unrestrained fury: "HOW DARE YOU! "You murdered her! I swear you will pay—you will all pay for this dearly!"