Clothing does not last long in our field. Old pieces of wool, cotton, silk and other fibers deteriorate as the ages pass. But even so, something is left behind to analyze. Which is why it’s curious to me that even those leftover pieces are nowhere to be found in the ruins. This, combined with the fact that their houses were located next to hydrothermal pools, leads me to believe that Eihk-Huellastar had … little regard for clothing.

-From Professor Shokolov’s Journal, 13th Entry

“Tonguewisp is actually one of the more openly used Magic Bullets. Though every bullet has its use; Firewire for construction workers and firemen, for example, Tonguewisp actually allows us to understand others we might not otherwise….” The professor explained. She was a short statured woman with bangs who commanded the class’s attention.

AxEl tuned out the lecture. This was basic knowledge being repeated once more. He’d listen again once Professor EnnA got to the important scientific bits, but it seemed that would take a while. His eyes felt heavy, and the heater providing warmth didn’t help that feeling. A piece of paper flew through the classroom and hit him on the head, catching his attention.

“Ow!” AxEl whispered. He looked over to who’d flung it and found HinEn sitting at the other end, point at the little clip she’d shot. AxEl folded it open and it read,

What are you doing in Class? Business not going well, huh?

Alongside it were some flattering images of him drawn with a pen. AxEl used a rubber sling of his own to shoot a reply back.

Sometimes I enjoy sitting in on the lessons.

HinEn was about to send another paper back, but it instead hit Finn on the side of the head. He looked over at HinEn and pointed at the paper. Afterwards, even he joined in.

AxEl, I thought you were done with this sort of business!

I am! I’m not involved with those people any more.

Judging by how you boys are glaring at each other, Finn found out, huh?

None of your business, HinEn. Finn caught that message instead.

I think it is. Did you bring her into this?

Immediately, three paper clips hit all three of them in the head. At the front of the class, their professor sat, with a complex looking rubber sling tied around her fingers and a self-satisfied expression on her face.

“If you three are done with your little chatter, you could focus on the class,” she scolded. The three of them shrunk back in their seats as the embarrassment of being exposed set in. Their professor untied the sling from her hand and coughed as the rest of the class refocused their attention on the book in front of them.

“As I was saying, we have a special guest who’s actually offered to give us some insight into the transport of Magic Bullets. Please, students, a round of applause for DoxEn of Dox Transport Vehicles!” The professor said.

The children began to clap loudly as the door opened. A man in a striped suit walked in, his mustache perfectly trimmed and maintained. He had a big red smile on his face and walked to the center of the classroom, waving down the students. A woman walked behind him, with pale skin and sharp focused eyes. The woman had white eyes, something she put no effort into hiding. It attracted the attention of every boy and girl immediately.

“It’s nice to receive such a warm welcome! Hello there, students. As your amazing teacher might have already told you, my name is DoxEn. I’m the owner of a company that specializes in transporting Magic Bullets, safely I might add, from between cities and towns,” he said.

“And this here is my lovely Archivist, Anagen,” he said, waving a hand towards the white haired woman. She stepped forward and gave a curt nod before facing the student body, “Hi there, children. I hope you’re having a lovely day,” she said, but with an accent so enchanting even AxEl paid attention for a moment.

Then DoxEn began speaking and the class was consumed with his presence, while AxEl ignored him. He and HinEn looked towards each other and shrugged. Guess she didn’t know anything about this.

They both decided to bug the only other person between them. Finn felt two little pieces of paper hit him from either side, then looked around and saw AxEl and HinEn both smiling. It was tough being surrounded by people so impulsive. Made it impossible for him to focus on the actual interesting part of their day.

Did you know we were going to have someone in school today?

Finn, be a sweetie and tell me why you didn’t tell me about this?

Finn clicked his tongue in annoyance and proceeded to write down two messages for them both. AxEl waited on his message, which Finn for some reason had decided to pass along by hand.

Would probably kill Finn to be flexible, AxEl thought as he read his own letter.

Nope, it was a last minute decision. We didn’t get any kind of announcement.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

That was curious to note. AxEl tried discerning anything from the man’s posture, but gave up and resumed his listlessness. That was what he was hoping to do at least, until he heard his name called.

“Axel?” DoxEn said.

“Huh?” AxEl said as he turned his head towards the man. DoxEn gave him a warm smile. “Seems like someone’s enjoying the view more than me today! Haha!” he laughed at his own joke, joined by a hesitant EnnA.

“Sorry, sir, I wasn’t paying attention,” AxEl explained, trying to keep his stature short. From behind DoxEn, he could see professor EnnA giving him a death glare.

“Never the matter, Axel.”

“Actually, sir, it’s AxEl,” AxEl explained.

“What would be the difference?” he asked, though AxEl felt a deeper question hidden there.

“It’s the name my parents gave me. I’m very protective of it,” AxEl explained, scratching his cheek and feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I understand completely. Now, AxEl, my question was this, What do you want to be once you leave this school?” DoxEn asked.

“Oh, I….haven’t put much thought to that,” AxEl said. The question had hit him somewhere he didn’t expect it to.

“You seem to be a strongly built lad. Straighten up, won’t you?” DoxEn said. AxEl obeyed, growing to his full height, which impressed even DoxEn.

“You’d do well as a sportsman with that build, AxEl. And from what I hear your grades aren’t much worse. Much potential there, do think about what you’re going to do, won’t you?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be sure to have an answer,” AxEl said and was asked to sit down. He paid attention for the rest of DoxEn’s stay. A few time their gazes met, but neither addressed the other. And just as fast as Mister DoxEn had entered the classroom, he left, bidding everyone there farewell.

He, Finn and HinEn got a bigger scolding later once class was concluded. But through it all the question that DoxEn remained in AxEl’s mind. It was temporary, he knew. That’s at least what he kept telling himself.

This entire thing he was doing was nothing but an excuse to fulfill his Prophecy. But after that, what would happen? Would AxEl settle down with his money, earn a fair wage, return to being….normal?

“I saw you staring at that Archivist girl, AxEl. Enchanted, are we?” HinEn teased from beside him as he walked out of the classroom.

“I was not! What are you, jealous?” AxEl accused back. HinEn actually flinched for a moment before returning to that mischievous grin that she carried around with herself.

“Whatever,” HinEn shrugged before moving off to her own friend group. Finn had already left the classroom by then, so he didn’t get the chance to talk with him proper.

He walked out onto the pavement and found that there was a luxurious looking car parked out in front. There, a guard stood next to the seat. AxEl stepped past it and started walking towards the mansion.

“AxEl!” DoxEn said as he frantically rolled down the window next to his seat. AxEl cringed a bit having to interact with the man, but it was inevitable now.

“H-Hi there, DoxEn sir,” AxEl waved.

“Ah, don’t be so distant, AxEl. Come inside, I wanted to have a talk. I insist.”

The guard in front didn’t change his expressions. He just opened up the door for AxEl and gestured for him to sit. AxEl stayed at the front of the door for a moment before swallowing and heading in.

I beat Kel. There’s no way someone like DoxEn could be a threat, he thought to himself. He sat down on the soft leather seats, feeling the cold chill leave his body.

“Feels like Hell’s Icebox itself out there, doesn’t it?” DoxEn joked, but no one laughed.

“Did you need anything from me, sir?” AxEl asked in the most pleasant voice he could come up with.

“I was just interested in getting to know you, AxEl. After all, I’ve heard many things from Kel about you. Many accompanied with cursing afterwards too,” he jibed, but AxEl felt his blood run cold.

He tried the door handle next to him, but it didn’t budge.

“Don’t try any of the other handles either. We’ve locked them all,” Anagen said. She paid more attention to the papers on her lap rather than the situation in front of her.

“What do you want?” AxEl asked, letting his intent be known. He glared at DoxEn for a moment, though the other man didn’t bother to react.

“Well, I’ve told you. I just want to get to know you. And how such a young man was able to compete with my product,” DoxEn said.

“You’re with the Revolvers, aren’t you?” AxEl accused.

“I’m not with them, I run them, boy,” DoxEn said. AxEl felt more tense with each passing second.

“But recently I’ve been seeing my sales decrease.”

“Sir,” Anagen said in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Ah, mind my manners. But you’ve been making enough of an impact on the economy here that I wanted to see for myself. I had a few of my best men out about the town trying to find whoever was selling these,” he said as he pulled out a pill of Prophecy.

“I even tried one. The effects are mesmerizing. But I’m not one to consume Magic Bullets. I leave that task to those I can trust to handle the dirty work,” DoxEn said. Anagen shuffled more papers between herself. AxEl tried the door again, but it was still stuck.

“And so? Your business is probably much bigger than mine. Why bother with me then?”

“It’s a great business opportunity, AxEl,” DoxEn said. Anagen shuffled more papers. AxEl’s breath grew faster.

“You’re a child. You don’t understand just how wondrous this creation is. Hand it over to me, tell me how to make more and I’ll ensure you can get a cut, however small, from it,” DoxEn offered. Anagen shuffled papers, AxEl’s heart rate spiked.

“We….I won’t! You’re just afraid of what will happen if your monopoly collapses,” AxEl argued back. DoxEn laughed in response.

“Oh come, now. You really think you could offer even a tiny challenge to me? AxEl, I’m doing you a mercy here. Let me take over for you, and you won’t have to see how ugly this can truly get.”

“No….This isn’t just about the money for me, DoxEn. Now let me leave,” AxEl said.

“You do understand that I was trying to be kind here? I could break your bones and dig the confession through your uneven teeth if needed,” DoxEn threatened as he leaned forward.

“I’ve got people who know. If they find me going missing, they would report it,” AxEl said, raising his fists in a defensive position.

DoxEn looked him up and down then relaxed back in his seat. Incredibly, Anagen didn’t even bother to comment, despite the stakes.

“But I am curious. Who is this ‘we’ you were referring to? A partner perhaps. Someone else from the school, even?” DoxEn said as if it were an innocent suggestion. AxEl’s eyes focused and he stopped taking those quick breaths.

“Seems I’ve hit upon a sore spot. You’re free to go then, AxEl. Wouldn’t want your family to be worried for you,” DoxEn said. The door to the car opened once more and this time AxEl was dragged out of it. He landed on the snowy pavement and looked back towards DoxEn.

“It’s been nice talking with you, AxEl. You should really be careful when you’re opening the door, however. Goodbye for now,” he said before the door closed and he was out of AxEl’s sight.

“Damnit!” he cursed to himself. AxEl smashed a closed fist down onto the ground before a hand reached out to him. AxEl looked up and saw Nook looking at him worried. AxEl took his hand and stood up, then brushed the snow off from his pants.

“What was that?” Nook asked.

“That was the leader of the Revolvers. And things just got more complicated,” AxEl answered.