Chapter 5: Raising Suspicions

The midday sun cast long shadows across the city streets as Yaxoc and Marcus walked side by side.

"I can't help but feel suspicious about Hight," Marcus said, his voice tense, breaking the silence.

Yaxoc tilted his head, confused. "What makes you say that? He already dealt with that enemy yesterday."

Marcus clenched his fists. "Hight didn't actually arrest that enemy, nor did he report it to the authorities. He… just let him go."

Yaxoc stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. "Wait… what? How does that make sense?"

Marcus sighed and glanced around to ensure no one was listening. "I overheard them. Hight and the enemy were making some sort of deal. They were talking about keeping false accusations about the savior academy under wraps. It's shady, and no one else seems to have noticed—not even Luna."

Yaxoc furrowed his brow, processing Marcus's words. "So, you think Hight is planning something? Betraying us?"

Marcus nodded grimly. "I have a strong feeling he is. He hasn't made any sudden moves yet, but the signs are there. He's keeping us close, but he has a goal. And I doubt it's anything good."

"What should we do?" Yaxoc asked, his voice lower. "The savior academy has the Rainbow Gem. I doubt he'd risk trying to steal it."

Marcus shook his head. "No, he's not after the gem. His focus is on destroying the academy itself, along with the most powerful saviors in the world. He's made deals, Yaxoc. Deals with enemies and other traitors. He's planning something big—something dangerous. If he moves too soon, we'll all be in serious trouble."

Yaxoc fell silent, the weight of Marcus's words sinking in.

Marcus glanced at him. "For now, let's play it cool. We need to act normal until we have solid evidence—or a plan."

After a moment, Marcus added, a faint smirk on his face, "Let's head back to Luna's apartment. She's probably set up something fun for us to do."

Yaxoc nodded, his expression still serious as he followed Marcus. "Yeah. Let's go."

The streets remained quiet, but an air of unease lingered, the shadows seemingly deeper than before.

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The room was filled with tension and excitement as Marcus, Yaxoc, Luna, and Moonlight played their intense card game.

"Checkmate!" Luna declared confidently, slamming her card onto the table.

"Awh! Damn it!" Yaxoc yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "You just had to play that card, didn't you?!"

"What are you gonna do about it?" Luna replied smugly, a teasing grin spreading across her face.

"I'll gott—" Yaxoc started to retort but was cut off by Marcus, who spoke calmly.

"Quiet down, people. I've got a card to play," Marcus said as he placed two cards on the table with precision.

"Double cards?!" Yaxoc and Luna shouted in unison, leaning forward to scrutinize his move.

Moonlight's eyes widened. "Impressive play, Marcus. Double cards is a bold and unexpected move."

Marcus smirked, enjoying the dramatic reactions, and then laid his final card on the table. "I win."

Silence fell as Yaxoc and Luna stared at the table, their disbelief palpable.

"How the hell—" Yaxoc muttered, his expression frozen.

"How did he—" Luna added, equally stunned.

Moonlight burst into laughter, her voice ringing through the room. "You two sound like a bickering couple struggling to make rent!"

Both Yaxoc and Luna turned to glare at Moonlight.

"Couples? Like hell!" Yaxoc snapped, his tone indignant.

"I'm not interested in idiots like him!" Luna shot back, her face slightly red.

Marcus sighed and leaned back in his chair, tapping the table for attention. "Quiet down, everyone. I've got something important to discuss today."

The playful atmosphere shifted as Yaxoc, Luna, and Moonlight turned their eyes toward Marcus, sensing the change in tone.

"What is it?" Yaxoc asked, crossing his arms, his competitive spirit momentarily set aside.

Marcus glanced at the group, his expression serious. "It's about Hight… and the academy."

The tension in the room was palpable as Marcus dropped the bombshell.

"What about it?" Luna asked, leaning forward.

Marcus sighed heavily. "Hight has been making deals with enemies. I have a strong feeling he's going to betray us and every savior in this academy. The worst part? Two to five saviors disappeared after those deals."

Luna and Moonlight's eyes widened in shock.

"What?!" Luna shouted, her voice echoing through the room.

"Are you insane or something?" Moonlight asked, incredulous.

"I wish I were, but it's real," Marcus replied grimly.

Yaxoc furrowed his brows. "Wait, so those five disappearances were our classmates? Hight's been keeping an eye on them ever since. Not because he wanted to protect them, but because he saw potential in them…"

Marcus nodded. "Exactly. You're thinking along the same lines as me, Yaxoc. This has to stop. The principal might not even know about this."

"The principal doesn't know, nor would he believe us," Moonlight interjected. "He sees Mr. Hight as just a teacher, someone who has the so-called potential 'to teach saviors how to be real protectors.' That's going to make this much harder."

"You're right," Marcus said, clenching his fists. "We'll need a plan."

Suddenly, Yaxoc's eyes darted to the corner of the room. "Guys? I think Hight placed a camera here."

All eyes turned toward the hidden device.

"Damn it, he knows our plans!" Marcus said, slamming his fist on the table.

Moonlight didn't waste a second. She stood up, her claws glowing faintly, and slashed the camera, destroying it in one swift motion.

"We might have time to escape this academy," Moonlight said, her voice steely. "He's probably watching us, waiting for the perfect moment to catch us."

"Yaxoc, let's go to your house," Luna suggested suddenly.

"What?! Why me?" Yaxoc said, visibly annoyed.

"Maybe because your house is far enough from the academy," Marcus reasoned.

Yaxoc grumbled, rubbing his temples. "Fine, fine, let's go."

Without further hesitation, Moonlight, Luna, Marcus, and Yaxoc packed up and bolted from the apartment, running as fast as they could away from the academy, knowing time was no longer on their side.

Inside Yaxoc's house, the tension had already reached its peak when Marcus asked the question.

"Where are your parents?"

"Eh, they just moved to another town," Yaxoc replied casually, trying to dismiss the subject.

"Why? You're only 16," Marcus pressed, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, it's because—" Yaxoc began but was quickly interrupted.

"Don't even say it," Moonlight interjected, her tone sharp. "Your parents were kidnapped by those enemies months ago."

"What?! Wait... how do you know that?" Yaxoc demanded, his eyes wide with shock.

"I've been watching the enemies during the night," Moonlight replied. "Those calls you've been receiving? They were fake."

Marcus and Luna exchanged uneasy glances.

"But why?" Marcus asked, bewildered.

Moonlight folded her arms. "The enemies believed your parents had the Rebooted Chromatic Shards. But in truth, Yaxoc kept them—most of them—inside his body. The shards were inserted into him."

"So that's why I've been feeling those sharp pains," Yaxoc muttered, clutching his chest.

"Exactly," Moonlight confirmed.

"This is bad!" Luna said, her voice trembling with sympathy.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to come to this," Marcus added, tension in his tone.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.

Everyone turned to see a broken window.

"That... isn't normal," Yaxoc said, his voice steady but alarmed.

They rushed outside, only to be met with the sight of Mr. Hight standing alongside the enemy gang.

"CRAP!" Marcus exclaimed.

"Why you little..." Yaxoc growled, his fists clenching.

Luna and Moonlight immediately prepared for a fight, their expressions serious.

"Well, hello there, children," Mr. Hight greeted, his voice dripping with malice. "Didn't expect you all to expose me. You're defenseless, so surrender and come with me."

"Like hell we will!" Yaxoc shouted back, his voice filled with rage.

Mr. Hight smirked, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention to Yaxoc. "Ah yes, the boy with 'the potential' to stop us. A filthy lie to mask your fear. But now that I see you... I'll take that potential away!"

Mr. Hight raised his hand, summoning his Spirit Magic. But before he could unleash it, Marcus countered with a sudden ice spell, freezing the spell mid-air.

"Deal with the enemies!" Marcus barked, his eyes locked on Mr. Hight.

"But what about—" Yaxoc started, worry crossing his face.

"JUST DO IT ALREADY!" Marcus yelled, lunging toward Hight to continue the fight.

Swallowing his hesitation, Yaxoc turned his focus to the enemy gang.

Luna and Moonlight stayed back, their eyes darting between the intense battles as the chaos unfolded.

Yaxoc moved swiftly, his Artificial Magic slicing through the enemy forces with precision and power. Each strike landed with purpose, his focus unshakable. Meanwhile, Marcus faced off against Hight, the air around them crackling with intensity.

Hight smirked darkly as a sinister aura began to envelop him. "Let me show you what true power looks like!" he growled, unleashing his Demonic Essence.

Marcus's eyes widened. "What the—!" he managed to yell before Hight struck him with a devastating ultimate attack. The blast sent Marcus flying, knocking him unconscious.

"Marcus!" Moonlight cried out, her wings flaring as her Angelic Essence surged. She leapt into the fight, unleashing radiant attacks to counter Hight's overwhelming darkness.

Luna ran to Yaxoc, who was still fending off enemies. "Yaxoc! I'll help you!" she shouted, her determination clear.

Together, they quickly dispatched the remaining foes. But as the last enemy fell, they turned their attention to Moonlight, who was struggling to hold her ground against Hight.

"His Demonic Essence is active. We can't stop him!" Luna said, panic creeping into her voice.

Yaxoc's gaze hardened. "I know. But we have to try." He raised his sword to the sky, focusing his energy. "Artificial Magic: Light Control!"

The sword began to glow, radiating with intense, pure light.

"What's he doing?" Luna muttered, watching as Yaxoc reached into his bag and pulled out a flask of water. Without hesitation, he poured the clean water over the blade.

"Yaxoc? What the hell are you—" Luna started, but Yaxoc cut her off.

"It's time for the real mix!" he declared. Energy swirled around him as he infused the light and water together.

"Artificial Technique: Angelic Slash!" he roared, swinging the sword with all his might. A blinding arc of light shot forward, crashing into Hight and sending him flying back with immense force.

Hight hit the ground hard, groaning in pain as his Demonic Essence flickered and faded.

Moonlight, breathing heavily, turned to Yaxoc, her expression a mixture of disbelief and awe. "How the hell did you know how to combine light and water like that?"

Yaxoc shrugged, his exhaustion showing. "I guess I got lucky," he said, a faint smirk on his face.

Luna and Moonlight turned their attention to Marcus, who was still unconscious on the ground.

"We need to help him," Moonlight said urgently. She gently picked up Marcus, her angelic aura glowing faintly as she steadied him. "Let's get back to Yaxoc's house before Hight regains his strength."

Without hesitation, Yaxoc and Luna followed Moonlight, leaving the battlefield behind. The group moved quickly, their minds heavy with thoughts of what lay ahead.

Hight staggered to his feet, his body trembling with rage. "Damn you… Yaxoc," he hissed through gritted teeth.

Turning away to retreat, he froze mid-step as a chilling, overwhelming presence filled the air.

"Leaving so soon?" came a calm, mocking voice from behind him.

Hight spun around, his eyes narrowing as he met the gaze of Xavy. The enigmatic figure stood with a relaxed posture, his aura exuding both confidence and power.

"You…" Hight growled. "You're the kid Yurgion has been rambling about."

Xavy smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Of course he talks about me. I'm quite the star." He tilted his head, his tone shifting to something sharper. "But enough about my fame—betrayal, huh? Can't say I'm surprised."

Hight glared at him, stepping back cautiously. "What makes you so confident, genius? Do you think some cryptic speech will scare me?"

Xavy chuckled softly, then raised his hand, letting a faint swirl of air gather in his palm. "Confidence has nothing to do with it. It's simple truth. Betrayal might give you a temporary edge, but it's fleeting. You'll never outlast the true saviors—the ones who embody protection and perseverance. Their light, their vision, can't be extinguished, no matter how many times you try to snuff it out."

Hight scoffed, his patience wearing thin. "Spare me your poetic nonsense."

But Xavy wasn't finished. "Think of it like this," he continued, a sly grin forming. "You get dumped because your girl cheated. Sure, she blows out all the candles to make you react, to hurt you. But deep down, there's one flame that can't be touched—your soul. That light doesn't depend on anyone else to shine."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" Hight snapped, utterly baffled.

Xavy's expression darkened in an instant, his casual demeanor vanishing. With a flick of his wrist, an invisible force slammed into Hight, sending him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll.

As Hight crashed into the ground, groaning in pain, Xavy took a step forward, his voice carrying an eerie finality. "Fate doesn't answer to you, Hight. It shapes itself around those who deserve it. And right now, you're just a speck of dust trying to stop the wind."

Before Hight could recover, Xavy vanished into thin air, his presence dissipating as if he had never been there.

Hight lay motionless for a moment, staring into the night sky. His fists clenched as frustration boiled inside him. "Damn you all…" he muttered, dragging himself to his feet and retreating into the shadows.