C10, Part 3 (Final): GEM OF HOPE

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest in shades of gold and shadow as Yaxoc, Moonlight, Luna, and Yaxocara raced through the dense woods. The evening air was thick with tension, their hurried footsteps crunching against fallen leaves.

"How are we supposed to fuse the gems if they destroyed the ritual?!" Yaxoc snapped, frustration clear in his voice. "This is a waste of time!"

"Not so fast!" Luna interjected, holding up the tattered instruction sheet. "It says there's another ritual we can use to fuse the gems!"

"Does it actually explain where?!" Yaxoc demanded.

"It does! We need to head right!" Luna shouted, veering in that direction.

Without hesitation, the squad followed, weaving through the trees as the forest seemed to close in around them.

"What's next?" Yaxocara asked, her voice tight with urgency.

"Not yet!" Luna replied, scanning the instructions.

Moonlight glanced over her shoulder, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. "I don't like this. Something's—"

Before she could finish, a burst of demonic energy erupted in front of them, forcing the group to skid to a halt. A figure emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing red with malice.

"You're not escaping this time, BRATS!" Lucius roared, unleashing a wave of dark energy.

Yaxoc sprang into action, his angelic essence wings flaring out as he shielded the squad from the blast. "Not so fast!" he shouted, holding the barrier firm.

"We have to take him down!" Yaxocara yelled.

Moonlight shook her head. "No! He'll just keep chasing us. Fighting him here is suicide!"

Yaxoc countered Lucius's next attack with a powerful kick, sending him staggering backward. "Then let's make a break for it while he's distracted!"

"Go!" Yaxocara urged, already sprinting.

The others followed suit, but Lucius recovered quickly, his rage propelling him forward. He was closing the gap when a sudden blur intercepted him.

"Found you!" A voice called out before Lucius was sent flying by a powerful kick.

Lucius growled as he steadied himself. "Who the hell are you?!"

The newcomer grinned. "Name's Flors. And today, you'll learn what I can do."

Lucius sneered. "Flors? What kind of name is that—" He didn't get to finish. A barrage of vibrant flowers struck him, forcing him back.

"Flower control?! What kind of ridiculous power is this?!" Lucius bellowed, his anger mounting.

Flors stood confidently, his appearance striking: brown, messy hair framed his face, while vibrant flowers wrapped around his arms, legs, and even obscured one of his eyes. His red shirt and black pants completed the unassuming but sharp look.

"If you want them, you'll have to go through me," Flors declared, raising his fists.

Lucius's laugh was harsh and mocking. "You think you can stop me? You're just a kid!"

Flors grinned wider. "Come find out."

Lucius charged with a roar, his demonic energy crackling. He swung a powerful fist, but Flors sidestepped effortlessly and countered with a flower-covered uppercut.

"AGH!" Lucius grunted, stumbling backward.

"Not done yet!" Flors exclaimed, his fist glowing with floral energy as he delivered a crushing punch that sent Lucius soaring into a field of wildflowers.

Lucius spat out dirt and turned to see Flors calmly approaching, his fingers tracing patterns in the air.

"Domain Expansion: Skylands of Flowers," Flors chanted.

A massive blue orb encased them both, and within moments, the sky shifted to a serene pink. A colossal sakura tree loomed above, surrounded by floating islands covered in vibrant flowers.

Lucius's eyes darted around. "What the…?"

"This is my domain," Flors said with a smirk. "Here, flowers are more powerful—and more deadly. Every attack you attempt will be blocked by my floral barriers. And a word of advice? Don't fall into the void below, or you'll die instantly."

Lucius growled, his frustration mounting. "I'll kill you before that happens!" He charged again, his attacks wild and desperate, but each strike was deflected by swirling barriers of petals.

Flors countered with a barrage of punches, each one landing with precision. Lucius stumbled, his demonic energy faltering.

"Eat this!" Flors yelled, summoning a flurry of razor-sharp flower daggers and hurling them with incredible speed.

Lucius managed to block most of them with a burst of dark energy, but one dagger pierced his left arm.

"ARGH!" Lucius screamed in pain, clutching his wound. "You little—"

Flors didn't let him finish. He dashed forward, landing a devastating blow to Lucius's chest that sent him crashing into the ground.

"I'm not done yet," Flors said, raising his hand. A massive flower dagger materialized above him, glowing with energy. "This ends here!"

Lucius tried to muster another attack, but the dagger struck with overwhelming force, shattering the domain itself.

As the pink sky faded and the sakura tree vanished, Lucius was flung out of the domain, landing in a heap far away.

Flors stood amidst the dissipating petals, brushing dust from his shoulder. "That should keep him down for a while," he muttered with a satisfied grin.

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The squad stumbled into a clearing, the cool air of the enchanted cave brushing against their tired faces. Yaxoc leaned against a wall, catching his breath.

"Phew…" he exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. "We managed to escape that bastard. Barely."

"Yeah," Yaxocara agreed, though her eyes remained sharp, scanning their surroundings. She turned to Luna. "Got any updates?"

Luna glanced at the instruction sheet she clutched tightly. "It looks like we've made it. This magical cave is where the ritual is located. But we have to stay alert... Ogamak could show up at any moment."

"That idiot is probably lurking nearby," Moonlight muttered, her voice low.

The squad proceeded cautiously into the cave. The walls shimmered faintly with an otherworldly glow, and the gems they carried pulsed, alternating between red and blue hues.

"So… this is a mineshaft?" Yaxoc asked, his voice echoing in the cavern.

"Looks like it," Moonlight replied, running her fingers along the wall. "Miners must have searched for gems here centuries ago. But an accident in 1896 forced them to seal this place off."

They ventured deeper until they reached a wide chamber, the ritual room.

"Here we are!" Luna announced.

"So this is it?" Yaxoc asked, looking around.

The room was circular, with seven empty slots carved into a stone pedestal. At its center was a larger, ornate slot, radiating a faint, mystical energy.

"Alright, this is it," Yaxoc said as he retrieved the gems from his bag. Carefully, he placed each gem into its corresponding slot. Finally, he positioned the Gem of Wisdom in the center.

The air around them grew heavy as the gems began to glow, their colors merging and swirling together. A brilliant light filled the room as the gems fused, their shapes melting into one another.

"It's working!" Yaxocara exclaimed, shielding her eyes from the dazzling display.

Moments later, the light subsided, revealing a new gem. It was white, yet it shimmered with all the colors of the spectrum, its shape resembling a heart.

Yaxoc stepped forward and picked it up. "Whoa… is this the Gem of Hope?"

"I think so," Moonlight said, awe evident in her voice. "We combined all the gems into something extraordinary."

The squad began to leave the cave, but as they reached the exit, a chilling voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Well, well. I see you brats managed to merge the gems." Ogamak stepped into view, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Hand it over, and I'll consider letting you leave unharmed."

Yaxoc tightened his grip on the gem. "Not a chance. We didn't go through all of this just to hand it over to you."

Ogamak sighed, raising his fist. "Your stubbornness is irritating. Fine. Have it your way."

"Demonic Essence: Nuclear Strike."

The sky above them darkened as a flurry of fiery blasts rained down, aiming to obliterate the squad.

"This is bad!" Yaxoc yelled, his wings flaring as he tried to shield the group.

"We need to run!" Moonlight screamed, grabbing Luna's arm as the two darted away.

Yaxocara stood firm, unsheathing her sword. "Yaxoc, this guy leaves us no choice. We have to fight back!"

"Are you insane?!" Yaxoc shouted. "We can't win against him!"

Ignoring him, Yaxocara lunged at the descending strikes, her sword glowing as she sliced through them, neutralizing the energy.

"Take the gem and go! I'll handle him!" she yelled.

"But—"

"JUST GO!" Yaxocara roared, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Reluctantly, Yaxoc turned and ran, the gem clutched tightly in his hands.

Ogamak sneered as he faced Yaxocara. "How noble. Sacrificing yourself for your friends. A pity it won't make a difference."

Yaxocara's eyes burned with determination. "It doesn't matter. If I can buy them even a second to escape, it'll be worth it."

She charged forward, her sword slicing the air as she aimed for Ogamak's jaw. The blade struck true, but Ogamak didn't even flinch.

"Is that all?" Ogamak asked coldly. With a swift motion, he punched her in the gut, sending her crashing into the ground.

"You're finished," he said, lifting her by the collar before hurling her skyward.

"Demonic Essence: Insta-Kill."

Ogamak unleashed a devastating burst of energy, the explosion swallowing Yaxocara mid-air. When the smoke cleared, her lifeless body fell to the ground.

"One down," Ogamak muttered, turning his gaze toward the forest. "Four to go."

Before he could move, the world around him shifted. The forest vanished, replaced by a crimson hall glowing with eerie, judgmental energy.

"What the—" Ogamak muttered, scanning the strange space. His eyes landed on a figure standing in the center of the hall.

The figure was calm, almost casual, dressed in a red jacket, black pants, and a matching red hat. His piercing blue eyes met Ogamak's with an unnerving intensity.

"Hello," the figure said with a smirk. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Ogamak's eyes narrowed. "Xavy?" he muttered, but quickly shook his head. "No… you're not him. Something's different."

The figure chuckled. "Close, but not quite. The name's GDM. I'm a secret Side-Memory fragment, the original version."

Ogamak's expression darkened. "A… Side-Memory fragment? So there's more of you…"

"Exactly," GDM replied. "And I've got a question for you."

Ogamak raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"What's your reason for killing someone whose sole purpose was to protect their friends?" GDM asked, his tone sharp.

Ogamak opened his mouth to respond, but GDM cut him off.

"Don't bother answering," he said bluntly. "I already know your purpose. Consider this your first warning. If you commit a third offense, I will judge you."

Before Ogamak could protest, the crimson hall dissolved, and he found himself back in the forest, standing over Yaxocara's body.

"Three warnings…?" Ogamak murmured, shaking his head. "He must be bluffing."

He glanced down at Yaxocara's lifeless form. "So his warnings only trigger if I kill Yaxoc's allies—or perhaps if I destroy something significant."

Ogamak sighed and turned away. "Whatever. I'll deal with him when the time comes."

With that, he disappeared into the forest, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.

Xavy and Liski stood silently on the cliffside, their eyes fixed on the aftermath of the battle below.

"Yaxocara's gone…" Liski said quietly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "What should we do?"

Xavy's gaze didn't waver as he responded, his tone calm but resolute. "We collect her soul. That's the first step."

Without another word, Xavy disappeared in a flicker of light, teleporting to where Yaxocara's lifeless body lay. He knelt beside her, his hand glowing faintly as he carefully extracted her soul—a shimmering, ethereal light that pulsed with faint traces of her essence.

"Rest for now," Xavy murmured, securing the soul in a small, crystalline vial. He straightened, his expression unreadable. "We'll bring her back... when the time is right."

Liski appeared beside him, her brow furrowed. "And if Ogamak finds out? He's bound to notice eventually."

Xavy's lips curved into a faint smirk as he tucked the vial into his pocket. "That's exactly why we're waiting. Timing is everything, Liski. If we resurrect her now, Ogamak will only come after her again. But if we wait until the moment he least expects it… then we'll have the advantage."

Liski nodded, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. "Alright. We'll play it your way."

Xavy gave her a brief nod. "Good. Now, let's head back. There's still much to prepare."

With a wave of his hand, Xavy opened a portal, its swirling light casting an eerie glow over the battlefield. Together, he and Liski stepped through, leaving the cave and its secrets behind—for now.