"Wake up demon!" Water slams into Axel's face, forcing a thrash out of him with instant shivers engulfing his body.
Cold . . . His hair dribbles as he staggers up to his feet.
Light burns his retinas, forcing the surroundings to be blurred. A gradual sound grows louder and louder as the world seemed just out of reach for a moment. Though he could tell it was a roar, or something close to it from just how loud it was.
However, to his dismay, he came to the realization that it was chanting. A cheer from hundreds surrounding him.
A tight knot expands within his chest, threatening to explode, as a sharp ring rises over his beating heart. And although he tries desperately to shake it from his ears, nothing falls free.
But once the noise comes, it unloads onto him like a tidal wave. Forcing his knuckles to whiten as he nearly bashes his head into the ground to silence the noise!
"Kill them!!!"
"They deserve to die!!!"
"Burn the bastards alive!!"
The voice of the masses digs into Axel's mind, causing them to nearly burst to their screams. Every. Single. Voice. Violating his ears all at once!
They drive Axel to insanity...
His eyes jut open, finding himself to be in a colosseum of sorts. It's intimidating... with so many levels to it that nearly covers the clouds. Above him sits the king, the pope, many nobles, the students...
And Blake.
Beyond them stand hundreds of angered citizens and common folk. Their aggression shouts over the arena as rocks and trash are hurled into it.
And lastly, right in front of Axel are his two best friends...
Being chained and getting placed under the restraints of the guillotine...
All the air inside his lungs dissipates as his eyes shrivel at the sight. Blood begins to flood through his heart as it plummets to his gut.
"Grrrr!! No!! Stop!!" Axel jerks towards the only family he's ever known, however, the chains around his wrists snap him in place! They bite into his skin, holding him to the floor. And no matter how much he pushes...
Axel remains powerless.
The king rises from his throne and steps forward, gazing out into the roar of the crowd before raising his arms. Silencing his people so that he may speak.
"Today, I beseech thee! These three have been brought before thou for their crime against the capital! For the attempted assassination against royal blood, I sentence them to the guillotine," the king states while pointing down upon the three boys, "what say I bring thou'st judgement upon these betrayers!"
Axel yanks the chains again with all he could! Blood quickly finds its escape through his gritted teeth as the harsh and rusted metal slices skin from his wrists! Though even as his body flinches and tries to stop him, he continues to fight through the blistering pain.
"No!! Please!!! They have nothing to do with this! Your majesty! Please!!!" the sharp screeches of metal intensify as Axel's cries go unheard!
Then, before his eye, the executioner commences raising the blade above Tom's head . . .
Axel thrashes, the chains cutting deeper and deeper into his wrists! The grind of his teeth puts a foul metallic taste within his mouth as his voice chokes within his throat. And though his eyes remain unmoved, tears cloud his vision as he desperately pulls to save them.
His knees give way as the pain envelopes his body! However, he relentlessly pleads and begs for his friends- his family to be set free. Although in the end, his voice is devoured by the crowd.
Tom turns to his two friends, a grin breaking across his face as tears run free. With death looming over his neck... his hands relax as he turns with a smile...
"Stay strong brothers . . . We will meet each other again... soon..."
He looks directly into George's and Axel's eyes appreciatively. The tears running down his face only cause his smile to broaden; the memory of when they'd met Axel playing in the back of his mind.
The blade clicks as it reaches the very top . . .
"Noooo! King!!!! Please!!! Don't take them away from me!!!! They're all I have!!!" Axel flails as his heart crumbles before him! Time seems to slow, his memories echoing before him . . dreams they had of traveling around the world together . . .
"I plead guilty!!! I'm the one who's at fault!!! So, please!!! Let them go! Just kill me!!" Axel shouts at the top of his lungs!
Tom wishes them farewell for one last time as he flashes another smile...
"I love you gu-"
However, before he can finish, the blade slams through him.
"NOOOOOOO!"
Axel's eyes turn blank as his voice leaves him...
His mind comes to a halt, the despair separating his heart turns his body to stone. Not even his tears could be shed as they too seemed to freeze in place.
The crowd cheers as they celebrate the criminal's death.
George clenches his fists while his muscles tense, staring daggers at the crowd surrounding them.
"If this is how you treat the innocent . . . Then you can all rot in hell! Nothing but ruin will await this kingdom if you follow them!"
The executioner begins to raise the blade up again...
His eyes wander over to the broken Axel, George's rage finally subsides before his tears begin to fall. A tremble reaches his hands... and yet, all he can do is put on a brave face.
"Axel . ." he tries to call out.
Axel's body jumps upon hearing his name, forcing his fist to curl as his eyes gradually shift to meet George's gaze.
"Grrrrrrrraahhhhhhh!!!!"
Axel growls through gritted teeth as he begins to pull with every fiber of his being! Blood begins to trickle down his jaw and hands before he screams over the arena!
The knights behind him stumble back; their legs quiver as they witness the captive before them turning into something more, something unnatural...
"GEORGE!!" Axel screams with a fire building within his eyes!! He thrashes harder and harder!! Even more, tears fall as the flesh around his arms begins to rip and tear apart!!
This silences the crowd as they stare down upon the scene before them. The knights surrounding him almost vomit as they force themselves to look away.
As George braces himself for the final moments, a torrent of emotions floods his heart. With trembling lips and teary eyes, he gathers the strength with a smile to speak, his voice choked with sorrow.
"I never thought it would end like this…" His words quiver as he struggles to maintain composure. "But I'm glad I got to see my friends for one last time…"
A heavy silence hangs in the air as George braces himself for the inevitable. With a heavy heart, he closes his eyes, steeling himself for the final blow. The blade hovers ominously above him, poised to deliver the fatal strike.
But as he waits for the end, his resolve falters, and tears stream down his cheeks. His smile fades, replaced by a look of profound sadness as the weight of his impending demise crashes down upon him.
"I'm sorry, Samantha…" His voice breaks with regret as he speaks the name of his beloved. "It looks like I won't be keeping my promise after all…"
In that moment of vulnerability, George's world shatters into pieces, consumed by the agony of unfulfilled vows and shattered dreams.
"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!" Axel wrenches the chains despite the pain and lunges forward!! His bones shatter as he screams in agony!!
"GEORGE!!"
Then with one last jerk, Axel rips his hands free from the chain!!! Blood spurts from his wrists as he races towards the guillotine!
"GEOR-"
His voice is cut short...
The blade dropped without a care, severing the poor boy's life. Stealing away the only family Axel had ever known.
Blood trickles down his face as he falls to his knees. A single scream echoing in the back of his mind as if the soul was leaving his own body.
And it isn't until the crowd erupts in cheers that the world falls on Axel. His body crumples against the dirt as he begins to cry out for what was already gone.
The king rises to accept the praise being thrown towards him and Blake for discovering the traitors. And without a moment missed, Blake follows suit, standing beside the king with a smirk lying across his face.
"As thou may know, death is seen as a mercy within this realm... So, after much consideration..." The king gestures towards his people before pointing down at the last criminal. "Axel, the traitorous demon, I sentence thee to the Eternal Death Maiden!"
The crowd explodes in cheers as the knights hoist up Axel. And a wave of anger erupts out from him, pushing away the soldiers and pointing a still bleeding arm towards Blake! An unbridled rage lingering within his eyes!
"I'LL MURDER YOU BLAKE!!!"
Without restraint, nor hesitation, Axel storms through the knights with venom dripping from his words. However, before he can even get to the arena walls, he's finally brought down as several more guards pin him to the ground.
And yet, he still reaches out, his eyes burning as an unquenchable malice forms within them. Blake, however, remains still and only gives the demon a grin with pity floating in his eyes.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
His words are drowned out by large reinforced doors as he's dragged beyond them. And yet, all he can hear echoing back to him is a roar of laughter. Their mockery piercing his ears causing him to struggle against his captors harder and harder, needing to fulfill his newfound vengeance.
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- Inside the castle, the dungeon room -
To the knights' surprise, the wounded man they were trying to lead struggles harder than some of them can handle. That is until one of them finally bashes the side of his head with the pommel of his sword.
While dazed he could see his feet pulling with him clots of moss. Though as soon as he's able to raise his head once more, he's greeted with a plethora of torture devices. Each looks more intimidating than the next as the hall slowly grows darker.
Their stop is at the end of the hall, where a decrepit iron casket stands. It looked like an ancient iron maiden, however, a vile black mist oozes from the cracks and crevices, creeping amongst their feet.
Even the knights tensed up as they try to cover their noses. Some even recoiling and trying to slink back down the hall, trying not to vomit into their helms. And although the other's watch their comrades with annoyed, yet ill faces, they force open the contraption.
As the doors open, Axel bears witness to the incarnation of his end. His heart tightens and swells within him, polluting his mind and freezing his nerves.
"End of the line, demon," snickers a knight as they shove him within!
Axel can only gasp a short breath before two other knights slam the doors! A glow erupts within the eyes of the maiden and the blackened mist begins to creep back into the bottom of the casket.
"Serves him right."
Without another look back, the knight makes their leave. Shaking off the unease which used to plague their shoulders.
"He's going to be wishing that he died with his friends."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . .
. . .
.
- The Death Maiden -
Axel
Level: 1
Race: Demon
Occupation: N/A
Hp: 10/10
Mana: 0/10
Attack:0
Magical Attack:0
Defense:0
Magical Defense:0
Mana res:0%
Speed:0
Abilities: N/A
Just as the darkness from the abyss begins to enshroud him, Axel re-opens his eyes.
He lets out a non-existing gasp upon seeing his profile staring right back at him, appearing without his command... Although it vanishes from sight as the world seems to flick on.
Bright, the world around him burns his retinas on just how white it all was. The ground, the sky, the horizon, everything... it was all just so colorless.
And as Axel begins to inspect the place around him, he finds his body completely intact, even from the events which had just transpired. Though as he looks at his newly healed hands, the sound of a water droplet echoes across the vast emptiness.
"Commencing Sequence, Scenario No. 1: Death by blunt force."
An ominous voice booms out across the void, ringing Axel's ears.
Axel can only furrow his brows before something smashes his face! Blood rushes out of his nose, dribbling upon the floor.
His vision is dazed for a moment before he grabs his throbbing broken nose. However, as soon as his arms lift, another slam strikes his side! Forcing him to fully collapse holding what felt like several broken ribs.
He gasps for air as he tries to push himself back onto his knees. And yet, all he gets in response is another bash to his spine! He slams into the ground before he can even realize!
Blood pools into his mouth as he begins to cough violently! He curls around himself, trying to protect himself as much as possible.
And in response, he's berated by several hundred more invisible punches!
His bones break with every strike, first his arms and legs, then the rest of his ribs, then finally his skull...
"Scenario No. 2: Death by stoning."
The voice chimes into Axel's ears before his eyes jolt open. His breath comes in rapidly as he looks over his body.
He was completely uninjured... completely unharmed.
Before he can even begin to question why or how, a rock the size of his palm cracked upon his knee cap! And without hesitation, Axel drops, grasping at his busted and bleeding knee.
A groan escapes him as tears begin to well within his eyes. Though that was only the beginning as more and more stones begin to fly at him! As if there was a crowd surrounding him, the void hurls them at the frail boy!
Each stone bruises and cuts his limbs become more and more violent with every throw! The crowd around him seemingly growing restless and more powerful!
He tries to cover his head with his hands, however, another rock only strikes them, breaking his fingers upon impact! A scream escapes him as his limbs gradually being to snap under the constant berating of stones!
An anger wells within him, and through the pain, he pushes himself upon his broken knees. And yet, he only witnesses the empty void with floating rocks surrounding him.
"Why..."
Is all he can mutter before one of the stones flies straight into his head, shattering his skull and spatting the ground behind him in red.
"Scenario No. 3: Death by stabbing"
Axel jerks up again with sweat pouring down his face as his eyes dart around the room. His breathing becomes heavy as his heart rings in his ears, louder than ever before. He frantically searches for a way to exit this place, he runs like mad in any direction with tears in his eyes.
"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
His eyes swell with tears as his mind echoes over and over and over again. His body trembles as it recalls every moment of pain and suffering he'd just went through.
"I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want-"
Blood splatters on the floor . . .
A sharp pain shoots up in Axel's brain as he slowly looks down with terrified eyes. He'd run head-on into the blade of a knife. And without hesitation, he reached down to the handle dangling freely out of his stomach.
There was no way of avoiding it . . .
There was nowhere to run . . . nowhere to hide . . .
Axel's fate . . . had already been sealed . . .
His legs give up on him and he collapses to the ground. His body solidifies as two more knives fall out of nowhere and stab deep in Axel's back.
He tries to scream, but blood fills his lungs as another blade digs into it! A gasp gets caught in his throat as he begins to gag, then coughs blood across the white floor.
It seems to glow in contrast as he begins to weep, but before he can even move, another knife jams through his esophagus!
He gags for a few more seconds before the light leaves his eyes.
"Scenario No. 4: Death by dehydration."
Axel falls to the ground, grasping his throat as he gasps for air. With every cough, his throat only gradually begins to grow drier and drier.
He lifts his head to see the vast void surrounding him. He could feel the thirst strangling his already hurt throat. A sense of relief still washed over him as he realized he wasn't bleeding anymore, he could breathe with ease and...
A cough grew within his lungs. He grabs at his chest as it goes dry and empty. He could almost taste sand as his body felt stripped of fluid. His eyes scan the empty horizon as only water begins to flood his mind.
His legs began to move on instinct. He needed to find some, he needed it, he needed just a drop. Just a single drop.
Though without his notice, his legs give before he can even react. Slamming him upon the hard ground, however, he didn't care. He just needed water.
The desire drives him to crawl against the textureless floor. He pulls himself endlessly before he can't drag himself anymore.
His breaths grow softer and softer as the time begins to slow. All he could think of was his family and how he wanted to see them. Just one last time before he withered away.
And yet...
He hears the same repeating chime echo overhead, before he awakens to meet another fate. And another, and another. Each one growing steadily crueller than the last!
"Scenario No. 7: Death by getting crushed."
Axel awakens flat on the floor, unable to move his limbs no matter how hard he tries. A scream escapes him before tears begin to well up within his eyes. He flails his head as a giant elephant comes stomping his way.
"NNNOOOO!! GOD PLEEAASE NOOOO!!"
The elephant closes the gap, and steps on Axel's legs. All of his bones instantly shatter as the elephant fattens his legs like a pancake!
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Nothing is left of his legs as the elephant lifts its foot, and crushes his torso. Killing him instantly . . .
"Scenario No. 13: Death by hanging."
"Scenario No. 16: Death by falling."
"Scenario No. 20: Death by beheading."
"Scenario No. 26: Death by drowning."
"Scenario No. 35: Death by Suffocation."
Axel wakes inside a coffin covered with an immeasurable amount of dirt. His body instantly realizes the lack of oxygen inside his lungs as he tries to breathe!
Without hesitation, Axel starts desperately kicking and pushing on the coffin to try and get it open, yet it wouldn't budge. His heart starts to beat erratically as his lungs burn. Then before he can do anything, his mind starts to drift in and out of unconsciousness. He tries one last-ditch effort by clawing his way out of there!!
He claws and claws, ripping and pulling the wood apart! However, it's all in vain as the wood buckles and breaks under the weight of the dirt lying upon it, filling the small coffin with Axel inside!
And with only a few last moments, Axel's body finally lets go.
"Scenario No. 97: Death by freezing."
"Scenario No. 136: Death by burning."
"Scenario No. 158: Death by getting skinned alive."
"Scenario No. 184: Death by having your organs explode one at a time."
"Scenario No. 200: Death by getting boiled alive."
Every time Axel dies, he would beg that it would be his last. Although he just kept reviving without a single injury, like a blessing had been cursed upon him.
And each and every time, Axel would have to carry the memories of his last death for all eternity. . . All of his memories slowly being replaced with a torment beyond his control and a ravaging hatred for the one who condemned him to it.
Each death only serves to bring Axel into even more despair and anger.
Why me? He thinks to himself. "Why must I go through such hell in life if I never did anything to deserve it. My dream of living life with my friends was robbed of me. By that demon who calls himself the messiah! That psychopath who dresses up in student's clothing, why must he be blessed by god!! Why must I go through this living hell!! Dammit god!!! Tell me why!!"
"Scenario No. 251: Death by showering in acid."
"Scenario No. 302: Death by walking on nails."
"Scenario No. 379: Death by having your entire skeletal structure become blades."
"Scenario No. 402: Death by having your heart ripped out."
"Scenario No. 444: Death by puking your organs out."
"Scenario No. 500: Death by getting eaten alive by lions."
"COME GET ME!!" Axel yells while squirming around on the floor with a missing leg.
The two huge lions follow Axel with one of them having Axel's leg in its mouth. They slowly walk over to him in a leisurely manner, toying with their prey. . . As the two fight over his leg, three more begin to circle the boy.
Axel's heart beats louder as the sound of their growls gets closer. The scent of death looms around his shoulders as the lions close the gap. . .
His heart begins to ache as the feeling of hopelessness surrounds him. He begins to cry as all he wants, is for all of this to end. All he wants now is to meet his friends in the afterlife. . . But he can't, he knows he'll just die and respawn here again and again. Only to follow the cycle for eternity. . .
The lions surround him as saliva droops from their mouths. Axel clenches his teeth so tight that they start to bleed. . .
In a fit of rage, he raises his head high and shouts, "DAMN YOU BLAKE!!!
The lions pounce on him, forcing his body to slam on the ground! He tries desperately to fight back, however, they easily tear him to shreds within moments!
"Scenario No. 579: Death by having your blood become acid."
"Scenario No. 621: Death by impalement."
"Scenario No. 692: Death by getting eaten alive by hundreds of rats."
"Scenario No. 731: Death by having every disease known to mankind."
"Scenario No. 757: Death by getting eaten alive by millions of roaches."
"Scenario No. 799: Death by suffering all 7 deadly sins."
"Scenario No. 823: Death by having no pain tolerance."
"Scenario No. 866: Death by lava."
"Scenario No. 897: Death by increasing gravity."
"Scenario No. 919: Death by increasing everlasting pain."
"Scenario Death No. 967: Death by the vacuum of space."
Axel's left side is instantly frozen by the vacuum of space, and his right side is instantly burned by the heat of the sun.
Only two words come to mind over and over again.
". . . Help me . . ."
Although he knows nobody is going to save him, he still calls out for help . . .
"Scenario No. 999: Death by insanity."
Axel slumps to his knees pulling them next to his chest and hugging them tightly. He's all alone this time, there's nothing out there that is set on killing him. And yet, Axel is crying . . . His mind was being forced to remember the memories of his childhood with his actual parents. The same ones who would belittle and abuse him. Those old scars, forgotten to time, reopen as he's forced to relive those memories inside his head.
His eyes are becoming pale as he stares onto the great beyond with an empty expression.
"STOP IT!!!"
Axel muffles his ears with his hands and starts crushing his skull! All the nobles, students, and everyone who looked down upon Axel suddenly appeared before him to laugh at his weak frail form. No matter how hard he tries to block the noise, their laughter rings within Axel's ears, breaking him down brick by brick...
Their laughter growing louder and louder while becoming more and more twisted. His mind slowly warping around their words as a scream erupts from his lungs!!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Thoughts of murder cloud his mind as the laughter stabs within it! His gaze turns inwards as his eyes begin to quiver against the encroaching thoughts.
His hands start to move on their own and begin to pull on his ears! The laughter becoming too unbearable, as it loops over and over and over, again and again, invading his sanity. . .
"Hehe . . . ."
Axel's frown starts to slowly curve upward. He begins pulling on his ears so much that they start to bleed! Hallucinations of the deaths of his friends and visualizations of all his deaths begin to play right before him. . .
"Hahaha . . . ."
Blood starts to dribble out of his head as his frown slowly turns into a creepy smile. . .
"Hahahahahaha!"
Tears flow out of his eyes even faster, his heart is beating so fast that it may possibly burst.
"HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!"
Axel soon joins his hallucinations and starts laughing uncontrollably!! The last shred of humanity he has within him fades. . No longer is he his old kind-hearted self, in fact, he'd become nothing more than that of an empty vessel...
"HAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAH!!" Axel rips his ears off!!! Then without restraint, he begins slamming his head against the ground, harder and harder!!
"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!"
Blood pours from his skull as he rams his head, over and over again!!
"Scenario No. ???: The void"
Axel wakes up for the last time, and although he could feel his eyes open, nothing happened. The world was black this time.
Upon instinct, he reaches up to his face, however, he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything. The only thing he knew was there was him, and his thoughts. As they seemed to float along within the never-ending black.
His memories, or what was left of them, began to play like an endless loop. Again, and again, and again, and again, and again...
The silence eats him.
Minutes felt like they'd become hours, hours become days, days become weeks, weeks become months, months become years. And yet, not even a second had moved, as if time itself had finally failed him.
There he remains.
Tormented by the emptiness around him, and torn apart by the memories still lying within him. His everlasting screams were the only thing left of him to fade out into the silence...