Chapter 5: Shifted Reality

As Yaxoc and Yaxocara wandered through the fractured dimension, their attention was drawn to an immense portal hovering mid-air, its edges swirling with a strange, empty glow.

"I didn't expect to see that here," Yaxoc muttered, craning his neck to take in the sheer size of the anomaly.

"It's massive," Yaxocara remarked, a mix of curiosity and unease in her voice. "What's it even doing here?"

Before they could speculate further, the familiar figure emerged from the shadows, moving with purpose toward the portal.

"So, you found the exit," the figure said, his voice calm but carrying an air of authority. "I had planned to relocate this portal elsewhere, but since you dealt with the intruders, I'll allow you to leave. Keep this in mind—where you're headed, the meaning of things will shift entirely."

The figure turned to Yaxocara, giving a slight bow before stepping aside. "After you, ma'am."

Yaxocara frowned, crossing her arms. "Drop the politeness. It's weird."

Yaxoc chuckled, shaking his head. "She's not a fan of that formal stuff."

As Yaxocara stepped through the portal with a sigh, Yaxoc followed, offering the figure a nod before they vanished into the vortex.

The world they entered was unlike anything they had seen before. Fragmented, crystalline lands floated in a vast void, suspended by unseen forces. Broken shards of reality drifted aimlessly, reflecting the faint, distorted light from a dim, colorless sky.

"What... is this place?" Yaxocara whispered, her voice tinged with unease.

"It looks broken, like reality itself is falling apart," Yaxoc said, scanning the eerie surroundings.

Suddenly, the dimension darkened further, and shadowy trees began to shift and crack as if rejecting their existence. Around them, somber masks began to rain from the sky, their lifeless expressions only adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

"This place gives me chills," Yaxoc murmured. "Is this the opposite of that colorful world we saw before?"

"Why would you think that?" Yaxocara asked, glancing at him.

"Look around," Yaxoc replied, gesturing to the falling masks and colorless horizon. "This place is completely devoid of light, happiness, or anything remotely positive. It feels like it's built on sadness—like the leftovers of broken dreams."

Yaxocara's expression grew serious. "Now that you mention it, I can hear faint crying in the distance... but it feels like an illusion, like it's coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once."

As they moved, Yaxoc spotted a piece of paper fluttering among the fragments. He picked it up, only to see it was covered in dense writing, each line dripping with melancholy.

"Yeah, nope. I'm not reading all that," Yaxoc said, letting the paper drift away. "This place is depressing enough without me diving into that."

Yaxocara sighed as they leaped between floating lands, aided by the strange low gravity. "Do you think this dimension is tied to sadness? If it's the opposite of that colorful place, maybe it's meant to represent despair."

Yaxoc nodded. "It's like the reflection of someone's worst memories, where happiness is just a distorted reality meant to trick you into thinking everything's fine."

Yaxocara tilted her head, pondering. "Why would that figure even create something this depressing?"

Before Yaxoc could answer, the figure reappeared out of thin air.

"Yo."

Both Yaxoc and Yaxocara flinched, startled by his sudden arrival.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? DON'T SNEAK UP ON US!" Yaxocara shouted, her voice echoing through the desolate dimension.

As Yaxoc and Yaxocara wandered through the eerie dimension, they noticed a faint figure emerge from the shadows. Its voice was calm yet carried a weight of sadness.

"Ah, you're quick to catch on," the figure said, its tone laced with intrigue. "This dimension is meant to embody Depression."

Yaxoc glanced at the vast, dark void stretching endlessly. "What's with that emptiness over there?"

The figure nodded toward the void. "That void represents helplessness. When someone feels everything is hopeless, they isolate themselves, retreating into their own despair. The scattered landmasses you see symbolize the faint glimmers of support they might cling to—but crossing the void to reach them is no easy feat."

"So, what does it all mean?" Yaxoc asked, his voice steady but curious.

"It means those stepping stones represent support from people they trust," the figure explained. "But what if there's no one to trust? What if no one reaches out? That's when isolation becomes absolute. They're left in a room with no exit, drowning in negativity."

Before the figure could continue, Lucius suddenly appeared, his anger palpable.

"You again," Lucius growled.

The figure sighed dramatically, its expression unimpressed. "I was about to dive deeper into philosophy, but I suppose I'll leave this to you." With a wave, the figure vanished, leaving Yaxoc and Yaxocara face-to-face with Lucius.

"You meddling brats have ruined my plans for the last time!" Lucius snarled, lunging at them.

Before he could land a blow, a blur of movement struck Lucius hard, sending him flying. Yaxoc and Yaxocara blinked in shock as the dust settled, revealing Olnu, the mysterious child from before.

"What?! Is that the same kid?!" Yaxoc exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Yaxocara grinned, impressed. "He punched someone way stronger than him? That's epic. Honestly, I wouldn't mind adopting this kid."

Lucius stood, enraged. "You little brat!" He lunged at Olnu with terrifying speed, but the child dodged effortlessly, taking cover behind Yaxocara.

Yaxoc crossed his arms, smirking. "Looks like it's time to make a decision."

Yaxocara drew her sword with a confident grin. "Oh, I've got this one."

Lucius roared and charged, only for Yaxocara to parry his attack with ease. "Not so fast!" she taunted, delivering a swift kick that sent him stumbling back.

Yaxoc seized the moment, leaping forward with two rapid kicks to Lucius's face, followed by slamming him into the ground. Enraged, Lucius unleashed a powerful explosion, sending the trio flying.

"Grab the kid! I'll handle this!" Yaxoc shouted.

Nodding, Yaxocara scooped up Olnu and retreated.

"Saving the kid, are we? Let's see how long you last!" Lucius sneered. Before he could follow, Yaxoc launched a punch straight to Lucius's face, propelling him through several floating islands.

As Yaxoc prepared to escape, two figures emerged from the shadows—Flors and Jim.

"Is this the guy Xavy said to deal with?" Flors asked.

"Probably. Let's handle this." Jim cracked his knuckles, his voice calm yet resolute.

Flors summoned sharp flower-like projectiles, firing them at Lucius. Though Lucius dodged some, Jim teleported behind him and delivered a crushing kick to his ribs. Lucius countered with a retaliatory strike, sending Jim flying.

"Jim!" Flors cried, unleashing a barrage of petals that pierced Lucius's defenses, forcing him to his knees.

Jim reappeared, anger flashing in his eyes. "That was a mistake." He landed a brutal kick to Lucius's face, sending him hurtling back.

Flors teleported behind Lucius, grabbing his leg and spinning him like a whirlwind before slamming him into a massive flower that erupted from the ground.

"Time for the finale!" Flors declared, his voice brimming with energy.

"Let's finish this," Jim agreed, the two chanting in unison.

"Dual-Domain Expansion: Skyland Ring of Flowers!"

The surroundings shifted into a breathtaking realm—a pink sky dominated by a towering sakura tree encircled by a colossal stellar ring. Floating islands orbited gently, adding to the surreal beauty.

Flors smirked. "Simple rules: don't fall into the void, and don't touch the rings. Here, our abilities are at their peak."

They charged at Lucius, unleashing a flurry of coordinated attacks. Flors struck from all angles with devastating flower constructs, while Jim landed precision blows that knocked Lucius toward the stellar ring. The ring erupted on impact, further weakening Lucius.

"Ready for the final blow?" Flors asked, his eyes gleaming.

Jim nodded, and together they unleashed their ultimate combo. Flors created a massive wall of flowers, slamming Lucius into Jim, who delivered a brutal beatdown. With a final, bone-shattering kick, Jim hurled Lucius into the stellar ring once more, the explosion leaving Lucius battered and broken.

As the domain began to collapse, the combined attack shattered Lucius's power, forcing him to retreat to his own dimension in defeat.

Flors and Jim exchanged a triumphant high-five.

"That was incredible!" Flors cheered. "Honestly, I didn't think it would feel this good! I'm on top of the world right now!"

With a satisfied nod, the duo vanished into the ether, their mission complete.