Yaxoc's Adventure: Act 7

Yaxoc watched as Haven worked on signing them up for the tournament on her computer.

"How do you even get internet in a separate world?" Yaxoc asked, raising an eyebrow.

Haven didn't even look up as she replied, "Remember what Heraphiel told you earlier."

Yaxoc crossed his arms and sighed. "Right... Logic doesn't exist here."

After a few more keystrokes, Haven announced, "There, I've sent the permission."

"How long is this gonna take?" Yaxoc asked, leaning against the wall.

"Possibly hour—" Haven began but was immediately interrupted by a notification.

"Request approved," the screen displayed.

"Yeah, definitely not hours," Yaxoc said, staring at the screen. "That thing accepted your request instantly."

Haven scratched the back of her head, grinning sheepishly. "I kind of forgot how fast they process these."

Without missing a beat, she opened a portal and gestured for Yaxoc to follow. "Alright, let's go!"

Yaxoc shrugged and stepped through with her.

They appeared in a large room bustling with fighters preparing for battle.

"I guess this is the place," Yaxoc said, scanning the room. Despite the excitement, he felt a strange presence.

"I know someone else is here... and I think I recognize who it is," Yaxoc thought to himself but decided to push the feeling aside.

Suddenly, the voice of the tournament host boomed from a large TV screen hanging above the room.

"Welcome, fighters, to the Tournament of Martial Arts and Essences! This is where martial artists face off against one another—and it's DUOS!"

Yaxoc and Haven turned their attention to the screen as the host continued to speak.

"Martial arts? No one told me this was about martial arts..." Haven muttered, her expression uneasy. "And worse if I have to fight martial artists."

Yaxoc shrugged. "The host mentioned essences too, right? I think we're good to use ours."

"Actually, you're right," Haven admitted, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Still, what's the plan? These fighters don't look like amateurs. Look at that guy with the cape—'The Skulldreamers,' seriously?"

Yaxoc smirked. "Oh, shush. That's nothing."

The host's voice interrupted their banter as the doors to the battlefield opened.

"Let's start with our first matchup! Yaxoc and Haven Hight versus The Duo Crushers! Step forward and take your positions!"

Yaxoc turned to Haven. "You know we were supposed to come up with a team name, right?"

"I didn't think of that, okay? Don't judge me!" Haven said sheepishly.

The two stepped into the arena, facing off against their opponents—two imposing fighters who looked every bit as dangerous as their name suggested.

Yaxoc cracked his knuckles and glanced at Haven. "Well, here goes nothing."

Both of them dropped into fighting stances as the opposing fighters mirrored their movements.

"LET THE COMBAT BEGIN!" the host roared.

The first of the Duo Crushers lunged at Haven, aiming a powerful strike at her.

Haven swiftly countered, catching his arm and slamming him to the ground in one fluid motion. She followed up with a stomp, but the fighter rolled out of the way and quickly regained his footing.

Without hesitation, Haven charged forward and landed a solid punch to his face, sending him stumbling backward.

"I'm not letting you get away!" Haven yelled as she closed the distance and unleashed a devastating blow.

"ANGELIC FLASH!" she shouted as her fist connected, sending the fighter crashing into the ground, unconscious.

Haven straightened and glanced at Yaxoc, a small smirk playing on her lips. "One down."

Yaxoc grinned and cracked his neck. "Guess it's my turn."

Yaxoc squared off against the second opponent, his expression calm but his fists ready. He darted forward, landing a powerful punch to the fighter's face that sent them flying across the battlefield.

Before the fighter could recover, Yaxoc teleported behind them, delivering a swift kick to their back, causing them to spin uncontrollably in mid-air.

Capitalizing on the moment, Yaxoc teleported above the spinning fighter and finished them off with a brutal sledgehammer strike, slamming them into the ground.

"WOAH! That was fast!" the host exclaimed, their excitement echoing across the arena. "Yaxoc & Haven Hight are the winners!"

The fighters in the room stood in stunned silence, their gazes fixed on Yaxoc and Haven.

"These kids... They're no joke," a random fighter muttered under their breath, awe in their voice.

Suddenly, the host's voice was cut off by a chilling interruption.

A distorted yet familiar voice crackled through the radio, silencing the arena.

"Well... Hello there, fellow fighters. Specifically you, Yaxoc..." the voice said with an ominous tone.

Yaxoc froze, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the radio. Recognition and anger surged through him.

"Don't tell me...!" Yaxoc yelled, his fists clenching tightly.

"Oh yes, it is me... Zarzock," the voice replied mockingly. "Remember? You cut me in half."

Yaxoc's teeth clenched. "I thought I killed you for good!"

"Ah, that's what you thought," Zarzock sneered. "But actually, I used the last remnants of an energy spell to regenerate myself. And now that you're here... let's play a little game, shall we?"

"NO MORE GAMES!" Yaxoc roared, stepping forward into a fighting stance. "Get to this battlefield and finish this! Or are you too much of a coward to face me?!"

"Oh, I'm so hurt," Zarzock replied, feigning sorrow with sarcasm. "Your harsh words won't make me come to your little arena."

The fighters in the room began murmuring in confusion, but Zarzock ignored them.

"And since your friend is here, let's bring her into this game as well, hmm?" Zarzock added sinisterly.

"Who the hell hijacked this radio?!" one of the other fighters shouted.

Zarzock chuckled. "Oh, right, the other participants. Let's give them all a warm welcome to my little minigame."

Haven turned to Yaxoc, her expression tense. "What's happening? Who's speaking through the radio?"

Yaxoc's fists trembled as he growled, "That's Zarzock. I killed him twice already to stop him from coming back, and this is the third time he's revived himself. I have to find a way to stop him for good!"

"Wait," Haven said, her eyes widening. "You mean that guy who led the raid six months ago? How is he still alive?!"

"Zarzock uses his energy magic to regenerate any remaining part of his body," Yaxoc explained grimly. "And every time he comes back, he's stronger. Whatever he's planning, it's bad news. But I know one thing for sure—he's up to no good."

The tension in the room thickened as Zarzock's laughter echoed through the radio, leaving everyone uneasy about what was to come.

"Alright then, let's begin with the first minigame," Zarzock's voice crackled menacingly through the radio. "Let's call it... Bounty."

The fighters in the room shifted uncomfortably, but Yaxoc remained still, glaring daggers at the radio.

"The rules are simple," Zarzock continued. "One fighter will become the target of a bounty, with absolutely no assistance allowed. Oh, and let me make things... interesting."

Suddenly, a powerful spell surged through the room, locking Yaxoc in place. His body stiffened as glowing energy wrapped around him like unbreakable chains.

"HUH?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Yaxoc roared, struggling against the spell.

"Oh, don't worry," Zarzock said mockingly. "This is just the warm-up. Since you've brought along your dear friend... let's use her as an example."

Haven's face paled, terror flickering in her eyes.

Zarzock's voice grew colder. "I wonder if she'll even survive. After all, once I tell them to hunt her for me, I doubt anyone will hold back."

Yaxoc's glare sharpened, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, while Haven stood frozen, trembling.

"Now then," Zarzock continued, his tone dripping with sadistic glee. "Let's get to know Haven Hight a little better. She's nothing more than an adopted daughter of the Hight family. Oh, but it gets better. At 15, Heraphiel plucked her away to train her. And look at her now—17 years old and still fragile as ever."

The fighters exchanged uneasy glances as Zarzock issued his command.

"Your goal is simple: take down Haven Hight. If you fail to do so within a minute, you'll face... elimination. And by elimination, I don't mean leaving the tournament." His voice darkened. "I mean losing your lives."

Gasps filled the room, but amidst the fear, the Skullcrushers' leader smirked.

"Who does he think he is?" the leader muttered. "Acting high and mighty while hiding behind a radio. Moron."

Zarzock ignored the comment and pressed on. "Once this round is over, we'll move to a free-for-all. Only two—or maybe three—of you will survive. But don't worry, there's a prize waiting for the winners. That is, if you make it through my game."

The fighters charged toward Haven, their desperation evident, while the Skullcrushers hung back, uninterested in the chaos.

"AH!" Haven screamed, darting away from the crowd.

"HAVEN! FIGHT BACK!" Yaxoc shouted, his fists trembling with frustration as he struggled against the unyielding binds.

Zarzock's laugh echoed through the radio. "Enjoying the show, Yaxoc? I didn't pick you as the target because this is far more entertaining. Watching your friend suffer is so much sweeter."

Haven leaped onto a nearby wall, using her agility to stay out of reach, but her fear was evident.

"Oh, look at her go," Zarzock sneered. "Such a clever trick, but let's make this more interesting, shall we?"

The walls around Haven began to morph, spikes protruding and closing in.

"NO!" Yaxoc roared, yanking at his restraints with all his strength.

"It's no use," Zarzock said smugly. "Those binds are made from an unbreakable spell. Face it—you can't save her."

The spikes struck faster than Haven could react, piercing through her. Her scream echoed through the room before she fell silent, lifeless.

"HAVEN!" Yaxoc bellowed, his voice filled with anguish.

Zarzock's laughter rang out again, cruel and mocking. "Oh, poor Yaxoc. Pleading won't save her now. You saviors... you don't understand, do you?"

His voice dropped to a sinister whisper. "You can't save everyone from lethal situations."

Those words sent a surge of fury through Yaxoc. His body trembled, and his fists began to glow with a bright, searing light.

With a roar of pure rage, he shattered the energy binds holding him.

"I'LL MAKE YOU EAT THOSE WORDS, ZARZOCK!" Yaxoc shouted, his voice booming as the glowing light around him intensified. "MARK MY WORDS—YOU'RE NEXT!"

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Meanwhile, on the rooftop overlooking the chaos below, a memory fragment observed the scene intently.

"Hm, interesting..." the figure mumbled to himself. "I don't know if that is the greatest villain he could think of..."

Turning away from the view, the figure suddenly acknowledged the reader, a sly grin on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I disturb you? Well, I guess you'll get used to it." He paused and gestured to himself. "Anyways, the name's Atlan. This is just a short interruption so I can introduce myself, so, uh... don't read this part."

He gave a cheeky shrug and then turned back toward the unfolding scene.

"I assume this is where Yaxoc gets his awakening magic," Atlan mused, rubbing his chin. "Imagination sure loves its tropes, doesn't it? But, eh, I couldn't care less."

With a stretch, Atlan glanced at a pocket watch he pulled from his coat. His expression shifted as he noticed something alarming.

"Oh, great..." he muttered. "Ogamak is raiding GDM's domain. Not that demon... I should notify Fate about this."

Before he could act, another figure teleported beside him, startling him enough to make him jump.

"No need," the newcomer said calmly. "I already know what's going on."

Atlan clutched his chest dramatically. "Don't appear like that! You almost gave me an infarto!"

The newcomer, Xavy, crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Funny of you to say, throwing in Spanish at the end. Very professional."

Atlan let out an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, alright. What's the plan? What are we doing about GDM?"

Xavy remained stoic. "He's fine."

"Fine? He only has 100 HP! One more slash, and he's done for!" Atlan protested.

Xavy shook his head. "I understand your concern, but Ogamak bypassed his defenses. GDM's second phase nullifies attacks that bypass defense. If it happens again, GDM will survive."

Atlan frowned, unconvinced. "And you're okay with just waiting? What if he doesn't activate it in time? We could save him—"

"No," Xavy interrupted firmly. "We're not wasting time intervening. That would ruin other plans. I have someone else I need to speak to."

Atlan tilted his head. "Wait, someone else? Who are you talking about?"

Xavy's expression didn't change, but he didn't answer. Instead, he disappeared in an instant, leaving Atlan alone on the rooftop.

"Him?" Atlan muttered, scratching his head. "What is he yapping about now? No matter. I guess I'll head back."

Atlan snapped his fingers, disappearing into thin air.

Not far from the rooftop, hidden in the shadows, another figure watched the interaction. Lucius stood silently, his eyes narrowing as he pieced together the conversation.

"Hm, it seems Xavy is bringing someone into play..." he mumbled, a hint of intrigue in his tone. "But who? He didn't name him or even describe him. From Xavy's urgency, though, I'd wager this 'him' is far more powerful than I am."

Lucius lingered a moment longer, his mind racing with speculation. Then, with a flick of his hand, he, too, vanished from the scene.