Chapter 3: Bad News

A few minutes later, Yaxoc and Yaxocara burst into the room, slightly out of breath, and switched on the TV. The news broadcast flickered on, displaying the familiar face of the news anchor.

"I knew something was off," Yaxoc muttered, his eyes narrowing at the screen.

The two stood still, their attention fixed on the broadcast.

"Breaking News: A highly unusual weather event occurred at 4 a.m. this morning," the anchor began, her voice steady yet laced with urgency. "Scientists have observed an unprecedented shift in weather patterns, and so far, no one knows the exact cause. Theories ranging from climate change to contaminants have been ruled out, thanks to the mandatory environmental protection laws. This leaves us with one plausible explanation: a culprit with the ability to manipulate weather."

The screen transitioned to an outdoor reporter bundled up in a thick coat, snowflakes dusting her hair.

"As mentioned, the weather has been acting unpredictably," the reporter said, her breath visible in the chilly air. "To help us understand, we've brought in one of Masoquest's most brilliant scientists. Surely, she has some insight."

Turning to face a stoic woman beside her, the reporter asked, "Ma'am, could you introduce yourself?"

"My name is Alishka," the scientist replied, arms crossed and her expression grave.

"Thank you, Alishka," the reporter said. "Do you have any idea what's causing this strange phenomenon?"

Alishka's sharp eyes lifted to the sky, and her demeanor shifted. "I believe I do," she said, pointing upward.

The camera panned to reveal a crimson cloud looming ominously above, with a glowing red orb pulsating at its center.

"That," Alishka said, "is the Blood Moon. Someone has summoned it here, and it's the reason for this erratic weather. But this is just the start. If we don't act, we only have two days before the Blood Moon annihilates us."

The reporter's face paled as she asked, "Is there any way to stop it?"

Alishka nodded grimly. "There is one hope: the #1 strongest savior. Without them, we don't stand a chance."

The broadcast abruptly cut to black, leaving Yaxoc and Yaxocara staring at the now-dark screen in stunned silence.

"What the hell…? The Blood Moon?" Yaxoc mumbled, his mind racing.

"I thought the Blood Moon only showed up during apocalypses," Yaxocara said, her voice shaky. "Does this mean it's starting now?"

"No way! It's too soon! That thing only happens every ten thousand years!" Yaxoc exclaimed. He clenched his fists. "We need to find out who brought it here immediately."

"Are you insane?! We don't even know who the culprit is!" Yaxocara snapped. "And there's no way I'm going out in this horrible snow!"

"THE WEATHER'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE! WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE!" Yaxoc shouted back.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT THERE, YAXOC!" Yaxocara yelled, standing her ground. "YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESISTANCE FOR THAT KIND OF COLD!"

"OH, PLEASE! I WENT TO SPACE ONCE, AND THE TEMPERATURE THERE WAS COLDER THAN YOUR BRAIN!" Yaxoc fired back, glaring at her. "I'LL BE FINE!"

As the two bickered loudly, the door slammed open, and Marcus stormed in, his face red with irritation.

"Can you two stop yelling already?!" he snapped. "I can't even sleep with all this noise!"

Yaxoc and Yaxocara both turned to face him, their argument momentarily forgotten.

"Wait a minute…" Yaxoc said, squinting at Marcus. "Why are you wearing one of Moonlight's bows in your hair? You don't even have long hair."

Marcus sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. "Moonlight made me wear it."

Yaxocara tried to stifle a laugh, but Yaxoc smacked her lightly on the head.

"OUCH!" Yaxocara groaned, rubbing her head as she shot him a glare.

"Yaxoc, can we talk outside for a minute?" Marcus asked, his voice unusually serious.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Yaxoc replied, shrugging as he followed Marcus out of the building.

The two sat on the cold stone steps, silence hanging between them for a moment before Marcus spoke.

"Yaxoc, do you remember the promise we made as kids?" Marcus asked, his gaze fixed on the snow-covered street ahead.

"Yeah, of course," Yaxoc said, leaning back slightly.

Marcus sighed heavily, his fists clenching as he looked down. "I don't think we're making it out of this alive. Lucius and Ogamak… they're getting stronger. Too strong. We were too late to stop them when we had the chance."

Yaxoc turned to him, frowning. "Why do you say that? We're going to survive, Marcus. You just need to believe in yourself, to get stronger."

Marcus let out a bitter laugh. "Easier said than done, Yaxoc. You've carried most of the weight while I've been barely holding my own. The only real fight I've had was against Urioh, and even then, I struggled against his awakening power."

"Look, I get it," Yaxoc said, crossing his arms. "I didn't exactly want to be dragged into this either, but—"

"Stop." Marcus's tone was sharp, cutting Yaxoc off mid-sentence. "That's just your stubbornness talking. This conversation is over. I'm not joining the war."

Yaxoc's eyes widened. "Marcus, what are you saying…?"

"I'm saying I'm done." Marcus's voice was resolute. "I'm not risking my life for a lost cause. Let them destroy this world. Let the darkness take over. I don't care anymore."

Yaxoc stared at him, stunned. "You're scared, aren't you? This isn't like you. You never let fear control you."

Marcus turned, his glare piercing. "Don't try to cheer me up, Yaxoc. It's pointless. It's over."

Yaxoc looked down, the weight of Marcus's words settling heavily on him.

"You should've thought twice before dragging us into this mess," Marcus said coldly. "This isn't some detention we can laugh off later. You've put us on the path to execution. If you hadn't joined the academy, none of this would've happened."

"No," Yaxoc interjected firmly, standing up. "Even if I hadn't joined the academy, things wouldn't have been any different. Mr. Hight would still have betrayed us. The raids would still have happened, and you—you—would've been killed along with the others."

Marcus stood as well, his expression hard. "Well, if that's what you believe, then fine. But I'm done. I'm breaking that promise, Yaxoc—duos, brothers, whatever. Don't come near me again."

"You can't be serious!" Yaxoc shouted, his voice filled with disbelief.

Marcus turned to him, his face emotionless. "Do you really want me to repeat myself?"

"You have to understand!" Yaxoc yelled. "Being a savior isn't just about fighting—it's about sacrificing yourself for others!"

"That's just a pretty lie," Marcus snapped. "When the war breaks out, the shelters will fall, and everyone will die anyway. Lucius has the upper hand, and we're just delaying the inevitable."

Yaxoc clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "And you're giving up now? As a savior?"

Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Let me ask you something, Yaxoc. Do you think you're the strongest savior just because you joined the academy? Or did you join the academy because you thought you were the strongest?"

Yaxoc's anger flared. "What the hell does that even mean?!"

Marcus stepped closer, his voice calm yet cutting. "If our roles were reversed, would it make a difference? If the strongest gave up, it would fall to the weakest. That's how it always goes. Even the so-called #1 strongest savior we had before left the fight to weaker ones. And look where that got us."

"What are you talking about?" Yaxoc asked, his voice faltering.

Marcus let out a dry laugh. "The strongest saviors always think the fight is beneath them. They leave it to the weaklings because they underestimate the enemy. That's how they fail. That's how we all fail."

"That's not true!" Yaxoc yelled, his voice shaking with fury. "The saviors who walked away weren't strong enough to begin with! They failed because they didn't choose the right battles! But I'm not like them, Marcus! I'm not one of them!"

As the tension lingered in the air, a faint sound echoed from the distance. Yaxoc's ears perked up, but Marcus didn't even flinch.

"Did you hear that?" Yaxoc asked, glancing toward Marcus.

Marcus kept walking, his back turned. "Doesn't matter. It's not my problem anymore."

Yaxoc's fists tightened, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "You..." he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

Letting out a sharp sigh, Yaxoc shook his head. "Fine. If that's how you want it, I'll handle this myself."

With resolve hardening in his chest, Yaxoc turned and strode toward the source of the noise, the sound growing louder as he left Marcus behind. The faint crunch of snow beneath his feet mirrored the storm swirling in his mind.