Chapter 10: Shifting Back To Normal

As Yaxoc and Yaxocara stepped through the portal, they found themselves back in their world, the familiar surroundings a stark contrast to the chaos of the Realm of Spirit.

"Phew, we're never going back there again," Yaxoc said, brushing off his shoulders.

"Yeah," Yaxocara agreed. "We saw plenty, but it was way too risky."

As they walked, their conversation trailed off when they noticed a fierce battle unfolding in the distance. Hannah Hight was locked in combat with a powerful enemy, her movements precise but strained.

Yaxoc glanced at Yaxocara. "Should we help her?"

Yaxocara nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, let's do this."

Without wasting another moment, Yaxoc charged toward the enemy, landing a devastating blow, while Yaxocara followed up with a clean slash, cutting the opponent in half. The enemy crumbled, defeated, leaving Hannah standing in stunned silence.

"Yaxoc… And… Who's this girl who looks just like you?" Hannah asked, pointing at Yaxocara, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

"Ugh," Yaxocara groaned. "My name is Yaxocara. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Yaxocara," Hannah replied. "I'm Hannah Hight, but you can call me Hight."

As Hannah dusted herself off, her expression turned serious. "Yaxoc, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Yaxoc scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Listen, this might sound strange, but I got sealed in some weird—"

Before he could finish, Hannah slammed him to the ground.

"Excuses!" she shouted. "While you've been gone, we've been under constant attack! Just admit you're lazy and stop wasting my time!"

Yaxocara facepalmed. "Hight, he's telling the truth. We were sealed away."

"That's hard to believe," Hannah replied flatly, crossing her arms.

Yaxoc groaned as he stood back up. "Did you have to hit me that hard?"

Before the argument could continue, Marcus and Moonlight appeared on the scene.

"Yaxoc!" Marcus called out. "It's been a while. Where have you been?"

"Sealed," Yaxoc said, exasperated. "We just got out."

Marcus frowned. "Sealed… That sounds like the same thing that showed up after we dealt with Zarzock. Could it be related?"

"Probably," Yaxoc replied. "The timing adds up."

Hannah let out a heavy sigh. "Listen, you guys might want to come with me later. I've discovered something shocking about Lucius… but I'll explain it when the time's right." Without waiting for a response, she walked away, leaving the group in awkward silence.

Marcus stretched. "We should head back. It's been a long day, and we could all use a break."

A few hours later, at 6 PM, they gathered at Yaxoc's house to discuss recent events. Marcus sat at the table, his tone somber.

"During the raid, Luchis was killed… but not before Brock showed up again and nearly took us all down," Marcus explained. "We managed to defeat Brock, but we've received some terrible news."

Yaxoc raised an eyebrow, while Yaxocara looked equally confused.

"Urioh is coming back," Marcus said coldly. "Stronger than ever. And with him, there's going to be another hunter raid. We need to prepare, because this time they'll be more powerful. The hunters have grown stronger—strong enough to rival even the best of us."

"How soon?" Yaxoc asked.

Marcus shook his head. "We don't know. They could strike at any moment, unannounced."

Moonlight leaned forward. "And it's not just that. Hannah's been researching Lucius. Ever since you came back, she's discovered something terrifying about him. Something she's not ready to share yet."

"What kind of 'something'?" Yaxocara pressed.

Moonlight hesitated. "He's… turned to the enemy's side. Whatever she found might explain why. She'll reveal it either later tonight or tomorrow. For now, we need to stay on guard. Things are only going to get worse."

Xavy stood atop the rooftop, enjoying a moment of peace, when a shadow caught his attention. He turned just in time to see Yurgion barreling toward him, his eyes burning with rage.

"Fantastic," Xavy muttered sarcastically. "Not this guy again."

Yurgion lunged, aiming a wild attack, but Xavy ducked effortlessly. Yurgion wasn't finished—he conjured a barrage of dark spears, each flying at Xavy with deadly precision. Xavy dodged them all with ease, sidestepping and flipping between strikes until he kicked one spear midair, sending it hurtling back toward Yurgion and hitting him square in the forehead.

"DAMN IT!" Yurgion roared, staggering back. His frustration boiled over as a surge of darkness exploded from him. "UGHHH!"

Xavy smirked, unfazed. "Still in your awakened phase, huh? How predictable."

Fueled by anger, Yurgion launched more spears, this time in rapid succession. Xavy weaved through the onslaught like a blur, effortlessly dodging every strike. "You're really not making this much of a challenge," he quipped, darting around the incoming projectiles.

Seeing an opening, Xavy closed the distance in an instant, delivering a gut-wrenching punch to Yurgion's stomach. Before Yurgion could react, Xavy followed up with a spinning kick to the face, sending him flying through the air. Xavy didn't let up—he dashed forward and slammed Yurgion into the ground with enough force to shatter nearby trees.

"You done yet?" Xavy asked, dusting off his hands. But Yurgion was far from finished. He summoned a shield of darkness to block Xavy's next series of energy blasts, each of the 400 projectiles colliding against the dark barrier. As the smoke cleared, tendrils of darkness erupted from Yurgion, writhing and stretching toward Xavy like living weapons.

Xavy raised an eyebrow. "Tentacles? Really? You're not helping your case, buddy. Feels like something out of those videos people used to make."

"SHUT UP AND DIE!" Yurgion bellowed, unleashing the tentacles in a frenzy.

Xavy dodged them effortlessly, weaving through the writhing mass with agility. "This is getting old," he said flatly, before striking each tentacle with precision, causing them to disintegrate one by one. "If this is all you've got, I might just fall asleep."

Without warning, Xavy launched himself toward Yurgion, unleashing a relentless beatdown. Each strike reverberated with shockwaves, cracking the ground and shaking the air. The final blow—a devastating black flash—sent Yurgion careening into the sky like a shooting star.

"Annoying," Xavy muttered, already preparing to end it. He leaped into the air, charging another black flash. With a thunderous roar, he struck Yurgion one last time, sending him hurtling into the horizon.

Landing gracefully, Xavy adjusted his jacket and looked up at the sky. "Well, that was a waste of time," he said, yawning. "I'm out."

With that, he turned and strolled away, leaving behind a battlefield littered with destruction—and an unconscious Yurgion somewhere in the distance.