The Hydrothermic pools surrounding mount AnaHon seems to be a terrible place to live. But I have found traces of something there that might explain how the Eihk-Huellastar were able to survive. Freegrain, what one might consider to be one of the more mundane Magic Bullets. Seeds of it were found entwined within small bewllan crystals that had gone dim long ago.

This is nothing new, however. Many nomadic tribes and foreign settlements used Freegrain to supplement their usual diets. It was the only way to survive those times, I imagine. Whereas we’ve had to cultivate other crops to suit us, it’s almost as if Freegrain was created specifically to help us in our survival.

-From Professor Shokolov’s Journal, 13th Entry

“You want to go to Hell’s Icebox that bad?” Nook asked. AxEL turned around, surprised by the tone of voice that Nook had adopted.

“What do you mean?” AxEl asked.

“We had a perfect way out there. You could have gotten the money you needed and we’d be out of this,” he said, gesturing around himself at the streets of Barksight, “forever! You want to go to Hell’s Icebox that badly?” Their presence caused a bit of a ruckus as others looked over towards them.

Nook seemed to shrink under the gaze of the civilians, but AxEl didn’t bother standing around waiting. “I know, Nook. But do you really think we can trust DoxEn to follow through on his promise?”

“What do you mean?” Nook asked.

“Look at him, Nook. He looked desperate. He wants us to forfeit because we’re doing so much better than him!” AxEl accentuated. Nook looked straight ahead, his eyes twisted into a pensive look. They passed by the bewllan lit lamps of the night, heading towards their houses.

AxEl felt something ominous creeping up his spine. He popped another Prophecy pill into his mouth and kept his eyes squinted as he moved. The visions shown to him looked steady, so he was relieved that his powers hadn’t been muted permanently.

“Nook, in that last fight, did you see something different?” AxEl asked. Nook was still apprehensive, but by the look on his face he was glad for the change in topic.

“What do you mean?”

“In the Prophecy visions. It was like my powers barely worked,” AxEl said.

“Your visions weren’t working? Did you overuse them?” Nook asked.

“No! Hadn’t had a single Magic Bullet that day.”

Nook put a hand to his chin. After a few more steps, he answered. “Could have been Rootreveal,” he said.

“The useless one?” AxEl asked.

“It’s good for stopping those high on a Magic Bullet. Messes with their powers. Could be he hit you with something like that,” Nook answered.

“I’ll have to watch out for it, then,” AxEl noted. Their walk was quiet, with a few words that seemed to spill between their overfilled minds.

****

AxEl sat in the living room couch, staring at the stack in front of him. Thousands and thousands of folded stacks of Laros were sat upon the table. AxEl held his arms in front of him, a sheen of sweat on his face.

That’s…a lot of money, he thought. He knew hiring the drivers and setting up drop off points would increase his profits, but the amount sitting in front of him seemed impossibly large for even him.

Nook held his face in one hand, half-asleep.

“Mirage bless you, you beautiful man,” AxEl said, laughter slipping into his voice. His face was a giant grin, that seemed to never leave.

“W-what?” Nook said as he rose from his slumber.

“Nothing, Nook. Get your rest, you’ve earned it,” AxEl replied as he waved him back. There was work still to be done, but AxEl didn’t want Nook to take part in it. It would take him a few hours to find out how to split the cash evenly between him, the drivers, the chemists and the dealers themselves.

He found himself in an odd position, papers set in front of him on the table as he noted down the various cuts of the workers. “The dealers can just get their cuts from what they earn. Maybe I can get the drivers to deliver BannIh and his workers’ cut? Hmm…”

He worked late into the night, forgetting about the calls on his phone left behind by his mother. When he returned home that night, he found that the table had a single plate left on it with a cold dinner.

AxEl rubbed at his eyes, as the morning seemed not too far away. Instead he took his seat at the table and ate his food in silence, his own exhaustion becoming a bit much for him to handle. But now wasn’t any time for him to quit. He knew that DoxEn would take any advantage that he could get, so he needed to work twice as hard to overcome the man.

He’d taken the man’s drivers, he’d taken his customers, and soon enough AxEl would want to take his position as the Kingpin of Barksight as well. Before he went to sleep that night, he once again performed his ritual, touching that same spot on the wall that he held dear to him.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Sleep took him almost instantly, for tomorrow was another day of work that AxEl had to be ready for.

****

AxEl drank from a cannister that he brought with him. He chuckled to himself, looking at the design ingrained on it. He had so much money now that he could comfortably afford something that seemed so far out of his reach before. He sat on the curb, near one of the locations that his drivers visited. He’d brought with him the cash that they were going to split between them. When the car arrived, Lex jumped off of it and greeted AxEl with a smile.

Though AxEl found the man a bit annoying, he didn’t bother showing it on his face. He returned a slight smirk and waited for him to get closer.

“More work, boss? Sometimes I feel like you don’t want me as a dealer anymore,” he said to AxEl. AxEl handed over the bag to him and noticed that despite his size, he carried it much more easily than AxEl himself.

“Maybe I do, Lex. You do good work and you keep the others in check. Talk to me after this and we can see what position I can put you in,” AxEl said to him.

“So, a promotion, then?” Lex asked with a smile.

“Oh, a big one. You’re the one pushing the pushers now, enjoy,” AxEl replied. The driver in the car nodded towards AxEl, and AxEl nodded back, stern but firm. Then, he set himself towards the meeting point that he and Nook had specified.

****

It was an empty clearing in the middle of the forest. Nook stood in his jacket looking around at the surroundings to see if he could spot AxEl before he came up to him. There, far out in the darkness of the underbrush, he saw the giant figure of AxEl walk into the clearing.

Nook waved at him and AxEl followed, both of them coming to the tree.

“Are you ready?” AxEl asked as he began to take off his large jacket. Nook hated admitting it, but AxEl was much more built for this kind of work. Though he didn’t complain, he simply took out the Firewire from his pocket and began to chew on it.

Heat flooded his body, along with the strength that it brought. AxEl similarly popped a wad of it into his mouth and they both readied themselves.

Nook used his shorter frame to dash towards AxEl. AxEl took a swing at him, but Nook blocked it with one arm. He brought one of his feet up and kicked AxEl across the face.

AxEl turned and smiled playfully. Nook knew that he wouldn’t let him get away that easily, however. He tried moving back, but AxEl caught onto one of his arms and grappled him almost instantly. He squeezed and Nook felt his chest compress.

“N-no fair! You always do that!”

“Haha! Then find a way around it!” AxEl replied.

Nook kicked AxEl in the stomach, forcing the other man to let him go. He took out a piece of Prophecy from his pocket and was about to use it, but AxEl slapped it out of his hand.

Whatever. He’s better at seeing through that cacophony of sound and sights more than I am, Nook thought. They traded blows with one another for a few moments. Nook jumped off one of the trees near the clearing to kick AxEl, but the other man caught him mid-air.

AxEl twisted Nook’s body around and threw it onto the ground. Nook rolled and came to a stop, coughing. He felt the heat in his body begin to leave and held up a single arm in response. He could hear stomps coming towards him slowly.

“I give!” he said as he rose up a single hand. Immediately, the stomps turned to steps and Nook was helped up. He looked at AxEl with clear anger in his face.

“You took that too far,” Nook said. AxEl flashed an apologetic smile.

“Sorry. You shouldn’t have jumped though,” AxEl replied. Nook let go of AxEl’s hand and felt at his sides to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. He dusted off the leaves from his clothing, then walked back towards the clearing they had begun in.

They rested for a bit under one of the trees while AxEl offered him a tin of water along with some snacks. It’s nice to enjoy something like this again. Can’t remember the last time we were together and weren’t working on the farm or something other, Nook thought to himself as he chewed on the bit of jerky.

“Are you ready to go for another round?” AxEl asked, but Nook could feel that the man was a bit more excited for this than he had ought to been. Nook sighed and nodded, putting the tin down and walking towards his position once more.

****

AxEl returned home sore. Despite what Nook thought of himself, he was a decent fighter. AxEl had to clear up some of his less than useful habits, but it was still a useful experience for him.

He wiped his face one more time, just to get rid of any dirt on it, then straightened up and walked through the door. Inside, his mother waited, sitting near the television, looking…relaxed for once.

AxEl smiled to himself and sat down next to her. Wordlessly, he put his head on her shoulders and let the tension in his body leave. FenEl began to scratch at his head, ruffling around his locks.

“Hmm?”

She pulled a leaf from his hair. AxEl looked over and chuckled.

“Aren’t you a bit old to be playing in the forest?” his mother asked him. He moved himself into a more comfortable position.

“Eh, probably. It was fun, though,” AxEl replied.

“As long as you don’t hurt yourselves, I guess. How is Nook anyway?” she asked.

“Same as ever. I think he grew an inch or so.”

“Remind me to send over a cake then, as congratulations.”

They both laughed at that little joke, then settled back as FenEl’s dramas came back on.

But Tulio, what of my father? He would never accept this!

“Anything interesting happen while I was gone?” AxEl asked. FenEl pointed at the kitchen counter without even taking her eyes off the screen.

I care not for his old ways. I care only for you, my love!

“Letter for you. Think it’s from some girl, you little charmer,” she said as she elbowed him. AxEl grunted and sat up. Better to be far away when the real sappy stuff came on. He walked over to the counter and sure enough, there it was in its elaborate appearance.

Come with me, and I promise you I will show you a life you could never have believed existed!

AxEl opened up the letter, finding inside to be a much more professional looking letter. In fact, it was eerily familiar in the format. It almost seemed like….the letter that had told him of BannIh’s existence.

AxEl looked back and saw that his mother was fully absorbed in her shows. She didn’t bother even glancing in his direction. He put the letter back into its envelope and took it upstairs, leaving his mother with a quick goodbye.

Once inside his room, he locked the doors and turned on the table lamp that he kept with himself. Mirage bless this house, for its spaciousness proved to be very useful sometimes. He opened up the letter fully and saw that it abruptly ended after another address.

Burnbark 2nd Office, 23rd Street

AxEl took a picture of the contents and sent a message explaining the circumstances to Nook. It seemed someone was leading him on, and it had worked out so far. Nook sent a message back almost instantly.

You sure we can trust them? Nook asked.

The last time wasn’t a trap. I don’t understand why it would be this time, AxEl replied.

Could be a location they’re setting up for an ambush, Nook reasoned.

Then we stake it out together, AxEl said and closed the conversation.

“AxEl, dinner!” his mother shouted from below, and AxEl set the letter on the desk. Not tonight however, it had gotten too late for any more adventures.