Chapter Twenty Five: Day of Darkness

It started like any other day. Maxwell and Gladiolus woke up, prepared to head out for their routine patrols. This time, however, and likely for the foreseeable future—Claude had decided to tag along. Maxwell was gradually growing accustomed to his presence. In fact, he was beginning to find Claude's strange attitude oddly amusing, even if it still occasionally baffled him.

But as morning continued, there was an ominous feeling in the air. Unbeknownst to them, this day would change everything.

Maxwell, Gladiolus, and Claude walked through the streets of Calla Lily. As expected, the town was peaceful, untouched by trouble or chaos. For a moment, it felt as if nothing could disturb this tranquility.

"Everything's so calm," Maxwell thought as he walked. It was how things should be. After the chaos caused by the Forbidden weeks ago, he silently wished this calmness could last forever.

Even with the presence of Malacosteus still somewhere out there, Maxwell hoped that this peace could last for years to come. The town deserved that much—just a little longer without chaos. For now, at least, all seemed well.

However, Claude was unusually quiet today. Maxwell noticed the change but decided not to question it. Perhaps even Claude had his quieter moments.

What did catch Maxwell's attention, though, was how Claude would occasionally look toward the sky, specifically in the direction of Legis. His expression wasn't his usual grin but something more thoughtful, almost as if he was deep in thought about something important.

"Claude being quiet? Now that's new," Maxwell thought to himself. But he shrugged it off. For now, the patrol remained uneventful, and that was good enough.

By midday, the day took a sudden, chaotic turn. The ground beneath them trembled violently, sending loose stones skittering across the streets. Maxwell staggered slightly, his eyes wide.

"What the—!? What's going on!?" he exclaimed. Calla Lily had never experienced tremors before; this was entirely out of the ordinary.

The shaking persisted for a few minutes, long enough to send waves of confusion and panic through the towns people, before it finally subsided.

Maxwell quickly steadied himself and glanced at his companions. "Gladiolus, Claude, let's move! We need to check if the source of this is nearby and make sure no one's hurt!" he commanded.

Without hesitation, Gladiolus ran off in the direction of the commotion, his monstrous agility allowing him to dart quickly toward the heart of town.

Claude adjusted his gloves, his usual demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "Right away, Maxwell. Let's not waste any time... something tells me this is no ordinary event," he replied, already matching Maxwell's pace as they took off together.

As they sprinted through the streets, Maxwell and Claude came to an abrupt stop. The sky above them had darkened unnaturally, an overwhelming, pulsating mass of Void energy spreading across the sky like a storm. Maxwell stared upward, confused about the situation.

Claude's voice broke the tense silence, his tone uncharacteristically grim. "Maxwell, do you remember what I mentioned yesterday about sensing the faintest trace of Void energy?"

Maxwell nodded, his mind racing. "Y-yes, what about it?"

Claude adjusted his cloak and fixed his gaze toward the ominous sky. "It seems that faint trace wasn't from just a singular Forbidden... but an army of them. The source of that massive surge of Void energy is coming from Legis."

Maxwell's heart sank. "W-What... Are you saying the Forbidden are planning to invade again? Like during the Void War?"

Claude nodded slowly. "Based on what I'm sensing, that might be the case. However, for now, all the energy is concentrated in Legis. We still have time to prepare for what's coming." He turned back to Maxwell. "But as you said earlier, let's make sure the civilians are safe first."

Maxwell clenched his fists, pushing down the rising feeling of anxiety. "You're right. Let's move—there's no time to waste."

The streets of Calla Lily were in disarray. Civilians stood frozen, confusion and fear across their faces. Maxwell, alongside Gladiolus and Claude, worked to keep things under control, but they knew that crowd control was better left to the officers.

Once he felt the situation was stabilized, Maxwell's mind was set. "I need to find Mari," he muttered under his breath.

His eyes spotted her in the distance. "Maxwell!" Mari's voice broke through the noise, and she rushed toward him, her face filled with worry. "Look at the sky, what do you think is going on?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Maxwell glanced up briefly, seeing the ominous darkness that had covered the sky. His heart tightened. "Mari, let's go somewhere more private. Somewhere with a TV. Maybe the news is already broadcasting what's happening."

Without waiting for a reply, he guided her gently but quickly to his house. Claude, walking beside them, didn't wait to explain. "I felt Void energy since yesterday," he said, his voice low and serious. "This isn't just a random event. There's a powerful surge coming from Legis. We might be on the brink of something far worse than we expected."

Mari's expression went pale as she processed the information. "S-So... another Void War might happen..?"

"Damn it, Claude..." Maxwell whispered, just loud enough for Claude to hear.

Claude, undeterred by Maxwell's tone, nodded. "Chances are that's the case, but the worst-case scenario should always be prepared for. We can't afford to underestimate it."

Minutes later, they arrived at the house, and Maxwell immediately switched on the TV, tuning it to the news channel.

"BREAKING: Chaos in Legis as a massive surge of Void energy is detected," the news line read.

"We're reporting live from outside Legis, and according to our experts, a surge of Void energy is releasing straight from the W.W.P. building!" the reporter said, but he abruptly paused as an update came through his earpiece.

"Everyone in Legis is being ordered to evacuate immediately. The Forbidden have seemingly returned!" the reporter announced.

"Authorities are scrambling to evacuate citizens, but it appears the Forbidden are overwhelming in numbers, mercilessly slaughtering everything in their path!" the reporter continued. "We've been instructed to evacuate as well, but we'll continue to provide updates as the situation develops!"

The broadcast abruptly cut to commercials.

Maxwell, Gladiolus, Claude, and Mari stood in silence, processing the gravity of the situation, until Maxwell's phone rang. It was Sidgroth.

"Hello, Sidgroth," Maxwell answered, his voice shaky. "I saw the news. I already know what's happening."

"Good. Saves me the trouble of explaining," Sidgroth said. "Listen up, kid. Don't forget the task I gave you—protect Calla Lily. I'll be arriving with Kana Aoki, and once we're there, we'll take over."

"U-Understood, Sidgroth..." Maxwell replied, his voice weak but resolute.

Sidgroth's tone softened, but remained firm. "I know this is a lot to handle. And I won't stick around in Calla Lily for long. I'm heading straight to Legis. You'll need to hold the line there for as long as you can. Whatever comes, you face it with courage, and an unshakable resolve."

Maxwell swallowed hard, trying to steady his breath. "I understand, Sidgroth. I'll keep Calla Lily safe."

"Good," Sidgroth said, his voice thick with determination. "I'll see you soon, kid."

With that, the call ended, leaving Maxwell with a weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

Claude broke the silence. "Mari, you're part of the Healers Guild, correct? They'll likely need your help soon. If anything urgent comes up, Maxwell or I will contact you."

Mari nodded, her expression serious. "Right... stay safe, guys," she said, before returning to the Healers Guild building.

As she left, Claude turned his attention to Maxwell. "Maxwell, you're the protector now, aren't you? You mustn't show any weakness. From the investigation I've done on you, it's clear that people see you as Sidgroth's student—almost like a smaller version of him. And with that comes a certain expectation. You're not just any fighter; you're a student of one of the Victorious Ten. You shouldn't be weak."

Maxwell exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of Claude's words, but then asked, "How long do you think we have before the Forbidden get here?"

Claude's expression remained calm as he considered the question. "It's hard to say. Between Hyacinth and Silene Tomentosa, which separate Calla Lily from Legis, there's some distance. But Hyacinth took heavy damage in the last Forbidden attack. If I had to give a rough estimate... maybe a month?"

"I... I see," Maxwell muttered, letting out a deep breath. "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but you're right. I can't afford to be weak now." He looked down at Gladiolus, who was standing by his side. A small smirk tugged at Maxwell's lips as he gave the beast a gentle pat on the head. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."

"It doesn't matter what comes our way," Maxwell said, his voice filled with determination. "Calla Lily will remain safe and untouched under my protection."

Claude smirked, sarcasm in his tone. "The citizens better hope so... Their safety's relying on a kid like you."

Maxwell was about to respond, ready to suggest they assist the authorities, when a crash echoed from the training grounds out back, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Maxwell, Claude, and Gladiolus rushed toward the training grounds. Standing in the middle of the field was Malacosteus.

"Maxwell!" Malacosteus shouted, his voice frantic. "The Forbidden have returned! The end times are upon us!"

Maxwell's gaze narrowed as he stepped forward, unfazed by the creature's panic. "Malacosteus… It's been a while. But calm down. We still have time, assuming the Forbidden are focused on Calla Lily."

Malacosteus' eyes burned with urgency as he roared, "There's no such thing as calm when the Forbidden are back! I'm a NULL—I'm to be killed on sight for them!"

"So this is the other Outworlder turned NULL, the one who feasted on the citizens of Calla Lily? Perhaps you deserve to be killed by the Forbidden. Save me the trouble and fly straight to Legis." Claude said.

"Enough, Claude." Maxwell warned, before he then turned back to Malacosteus. "There's still time. With your help, we can grow stronger. The Forbidden are in Legis, but if we train, maybe we'll be able to match their strength."

Malacosteus, though still uneasy, took a slow breath and seemed to settle. "Battling the Forbidden… perhaps that could work. Fine, I'll help, but don't think for a second I won't force the Great Barrier of Calla Lily into activation if things don't go as planned." With that, he spread his wings and prepared to take flight.

"Wait!" Maxwell called out, "If you spot anything unusual while you're flying around, come back and tell me immediately."

Malacosteus gave a brief nod before flying off, disappearing into the dark sky.

"Maxwell, let's go assist the authorities. As the protector, they'll surely have tasks for you," Claude suggested.

Maxwell gave a determined nod, and together they sprinted back outside.

The peace Maxwell had longed for was now shattered, and with it came a heavy responsibility.

It was no longer a question of hoping for calm—it was now his duty to protect Calla Lily from the threat of the Forbidden...