Moonlight filtered through the thick leaves of Thundarr Forest, turning the mist silver and green. The red snake rose from the undergrowth like a living scar in the jungle, its scales glowing dark crimson, its yellow eyes fixed on prey. Its mouth opened wide, fangs dripping venom that hissed when it touched the forest floor.
Ronda Riy screamed and stumbled backward, her white shoes slipping on damp leaves. Fear froze her in place. The forest felt suddenly too close, the shadows pressing in. She could hear her own heartbeat louder than the night insects.
Then Faro moved.
He stepped in front of her without hesitation, placing himself between Ronda and the serpent. His arm came up smoothly, muscle tight beneath his black shirt, the Power Ring of Falcon flaring to life on his finger. Orange light burst outward, warm and fierce, cutting through the darkness like a blade.
“Behind me,” Faro said, his voice steady.
Ronda obeyed instinctively, clutching his arm as she pressed close to his back, still screaming, still shaking. She could feel the heat of the ring, the pulse of power traveling through Faro’s body as if the forest itself had chosen him.
The snake struck.
Its head lunged forward, jaws snapping shut where Faro had stood a heartbeat before. Faro twisted his stance and unleashed the beam. A focused stream of orange energy tore through the air and slammed directly into the creature’s open mouth. Sparks exploded outward, lighting the trees and leaves in flashes of fire and gold.
The snake recoiled, shrieking in a sound that rattled the forest. Its massive body thrashed, crushing vines and snapping branches as it pulled away, wounded and furious. Smoke curled from its scales where the beam had struck.
Faro did not chase it. He held his ground, arm still raised, eyes locked on the retreating shape until the jungle swallowed it whole. Only when the forest fell silent again did the glow of the ring fade.
Ronda’s screams turned into sobs. She pressed her forehead against Faro’s shoulder, breath uneven, hands trembling.
“It’s gone,” Faro said quietly.
She nodded, unable to speak yet, but alive. Safe.
Above them, the moon slipped free of the clouds, casting calm light over the leaves. The forest resumed its breathing. And in that moment, standing together in the aftermath, Ronda understood something she would never forget.
On Planet Thundarr, monsters existed. But so did protectors.