The blue light wasn't flickering.
It was breathing.
Anika stood frozen at the bottom of the spiral staircase inside the lighthouse. The air felt different here — heavier, colder. Outside, the storm had gone completely silent, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Her phone was dead now. No signal. No battery.
Only the faint blue glow from above.
Step by step, she climbed.
The wooden stairs creaked under her weight. Each sound echoed too loudly in the tight circular space. Halfway up, she felt it again — that strange sensation of being watched.
"Hello?" she called softly.
No reply.
But the light grew brighter.
When she reached the top, she pushed open the rusted metal door that led to the lantern room.
And froze.
The entire glass chamber was glowing.
At the center of the room, where the old lighthouse lamp should have been, floated a sphere of swirling blue energy. It looked like moving water trapped inside light. Waves formed and disappeared inside it, like a tiny ocean spinning in the air.
Anika's breath caught in her throat.
"This isn't real…" she whispered.
The sphere pulsed.
And suddenly—
Images exploded inside her mind.
She saw the sea swallowing ships whole.
She saw villagers running as storms destroyed their homes.
She saw a girl standing at this very lighthouse hundreds of years ago… holding the same blue light in her hands.
The girl looked exactly like her.
Anika stumbled back, hitting the glass wall.
The sphere dimmed slightly, as if reacting to her fear.
Then a voice echoed in the room.
Not from outside.
From inside her head.
"You have returned."
Her heart pounded violently.
"I don't understand!" she shouted. "What do you want from me?"
The voice was calm. Ancient.
"The storm awakens every century. The Guardian must rise with it."
Guardian?
Anika shook her head. "I'm not anything special. I'm just—"
The lighthouse shook suddenly. Outside, the storm roared back to life, stronger than before. The red sky flashed violently.
Cracks began forming on the glass walls around her.
The voice spoke again, firmer this time.
"They have found you."
A massive shadow passed over the lighthouse roof.
Something landed on top of it.
Heavy.
Inhuman.
Anika's blood ran cold.
The sphere of blue energy drifted closer to her, hovering at eye level.
"Take it," the voice commanded.
The roof above groaned as metal bent and tore apart.
She had no time.
With shaking hands, Anika reached forward and touched the glowing sphere.
The moment her fingers made contact—
The storm screamed.
Blue light exploded outward, wrapping around her body like liquid lightning. Her vision went white. The roaring wind outside seemed to respond to her heartbeat.
And for the first time in her life—
She felt powerful.
Not afraid.
Powerful.
The creature on the roof let out a deafening howl.
Anika opened her eyes.
The storm was no longer attacking the lighthouse.
It was circling her.
Waiting.
She stood at the center of the lantern room, blue light swirling around her like a living shield.
"What am I?" she whispered.
The voice answered softly:
"You are the storm's keeper."
Outside, the red sky darkened to deep black.
But far in the ocean, something even bigger was beginning to rise.
And this time—
It wasn't coming alone.