LAST NIGHT, THE AXIS
Anna ran through the forest, making her steps as light as possible. She feared her uncle might catch her if she wasn’t silent. But it was that quiet that alerted her to a sound behind her.
"Wh-Who's there?!" She shuddered with a trembling voice. The hairs on her neck stood on edge, ready for something to pounce from the shadows. She assumed it to be an animal -- something small. But it wasn’t. Hidden in the shadow of a tree, a dark figure emerged, baring his white teeth her way.
Interesting, the man smiled, approaching her calmly. He raised his arms and signaled that he was no trouble. Could she have been what Dopi sensed? Haha…
Anna stepped back and readied herself to scream. "Woah there!” He flinched, grumbling angrily. “I'm no trouble, little girl."
He lowered his head and extended his hand. "My name's Hatagi. What’s yours?"
Instinctively, Anna was suspicious. She had no idea who the man was after all. So, instead of accepting his hand, she asked him a question. "D-Did you just come from the Forbidden Area?"
"The Forbidden Area?" Hatagi looked back at the forest behind him, into the dark path. “That path over there, you mean?”
To him, it wasn’t dark. He could see it as clearly as it would’ve been during the day. Anna’s eyes became curious, wondering what he meant. Oho… So she can’t see it, eh? This could work. Hatagi conspired.
"It seems you can’t see the path there, right? Well, hey, I could teach you if you’d like!” He clapped. His expression was warm and welcoming; A dark contrast to his true personality. “Really?!” Anna beamed, releasing her suspicion immediately. “Yeah. How’s this: You tell me your name and where we’re at and I’ll teach you whatever you wanna know, little missy.”
She hesitated. “A-Anna. My name’s Anna.”
“Well then Anna, it's very nice to meet you!” Hatagi laughed. "To answer your question, I didn’t come from there. I came in through the south entrance over there. However, before I could look around, I noticed you."
He was lying. Though it was true that he had come in through the south and couldn’t look around, there was no entrance. He had forced his way in somehow.
“PLEASE HELP ME!” Anna begged. Her cry had caught him off guard. He hated it when children shouted. But before his annoyance could show on his face, he nodded, asking her to continue.
“I… I want to find a way to leave! Please help my brothers! It’s all they’ve ever wanted mister!” Tears filled her eyes, revealing to him how sincere she was. Interesting…
Hatagi's smile enlarged, her pleading face reflecting within the mischievous glint in his eyes. He had considered killing her there once he had gotten her to tell him what he needed to know, but a better idea came to him.
"Why, of course, little Anna," He leaned over, gently patting her head.
Once Dopi alerts him, it'll be easy to deal with you brats. All I have to do is wait.
His murderous intentions manifested in a dark gleam in his pupils. He savored her vulnerability.
"I just love helping kids."
“Great!” She marveled gratefully. “Can you teach me what Sanctum Energy is?”
He nodded, motioning her to enter the Forbidden Area together.
“Maybe I can meet your brothers tomorrow.”
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA
Jacender had been searching for his sister for a while.
He purposely kept avoiding the entrance to the Forbidden Area because of his fear of entering. Though he had a dark feeling that that was where Anna was.
"Gah!" He yelled, punching a tree. He was trying to amp himself.
He removed his fist, exhibiting a fist-sized hole. This sucks! This sucks! This sucks! This sucks!
He looked at the entrance once more, goosebumps rattling his body, before making his decision. "TSK, FINE! I'M NOT SCARED OF SOME DARK DINGY FOREST! COME ON YA BASTARDS!!" he yelled, running in.
He was blinded the moment he set foot within the area.
THWACK!
He had crashed into a tree. But Jacender -- having no idea what was around him -- shrieked in fear, assuming something had tried to eat him or take his soul. He roared hellishly, running and swinging his fists at everything around him.
"YAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
He nearly tripped as he ran. The path started becoming much more clear and linear, and within the next moment, he had arrived at an open field. Light flooded his visage.
It was several hundred meters long and surrounding the entire field was a black stone waterfall. It took up the majority of the space, keeping the area enclosed, bar for where Jacender stood.
VRMMMMM~~~~~
Jace heard something vibrate.
VRMMMMM~~~~
He heard it again, looking around for the source. As he approached, it was getting closer.
In the sky above, a marvelous sight greeted him. Like a mirror hung directly overhead, there was another platform of space atop the waterfall. Small deers ate from the elevated mountainside and were so close to the moon, that Jace could have sworn they were touching it.
This can’t be possible, Was his first thought. The Axis was mainly composed of flat earth with the exception of a few small meadows and hills. There wasn’t any plausible way another forest sat above their heads. Especially when the only entrance was straight through the forest.
VRMMMMM~~~~
Hearing another pulsating noise, his eyes fell upon the real attraction The Forbidden Area offered.
In the center of the field, standing with half of its body vertically submerged inside of the waterfall, was a large statue. With both its arms outstretched and a flickering ball of enormous fire sitting in its left palm, it was a striking sculpture. It was modeled after a man; Made obvious by his clearly defined facial features and clothing. He was handsome, slender-faced, and felt impartial to whatever he stared at.
VRMMMMM~~~
That sound… Is it coming from the waterfall…? Jace wondered, wincing. He was getting a headache.
“..!” His eyes widened, staring down the end of the field, and saw a small silhouette sitting and chatting happily with someone. Jace raised his arm, running towards her excitedly. "Anna! What are you--"
He froze in his tracks. There was another. Someone in a dark green hood. Their purple eyes, however, were illuminated in the moonlight, sending a shiver through Jace's spine.
"Who are you?!" Jacender quavered, bouncing back. Impulsively, he raised his arms and assumed a fighting stance. A large bead of sweat crept down his neck as the man chuckled.
"What's this...? Another guest? You didn’t tell me your brothers would be here this soon, little Anna."
Jace didn’t know why, but he felt something was wrong. Who was this man? And why was he in the Axis? No, more importantly -- why was he with Anna?
"Ah! Wait, Jace! This is my new friend! I told you and Aleximus about him!"
New friend...? Jace contemplated. "Anna! How did he get in here?!"
"No, don’t be scared! I met him yesterday!" Anna urged, oblivious. "He healed my headaches and told me all about the outside world! I told him you guys wanted to leave the Axis and he really wanted to meet you!"
VRMMMMM~~
That sound, again... Where is it coming from? Jace winced. It was distracting; Yet, Anna and the intruder seemed not the hear it.
“What's the matter, boy?” The man asked, displaying a toothy grin. "Don’t you want to be my friend too?"
Underneath his cape, Jace noticed a sheathed weapon hanging on his waist.
“Don’t call me boy,” He commanded, growing more distrustful. “Who are you and where did you come from?”
Anna felt uneasy. Her brother wouldn’t act this way without a good reason. She took a look at the man, hoping he’d explain himself.
“Ah… You’re feisty, kid.”
He pushed his cloak to the side, placing his hand on his weapon, and smiled The presence of the dagger had amplified the tension tenfold.
“Is that how you repay your sister’s helper? I fixed her little headaches and was telling her all bout the outside world, you know.”
Jace’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the outside. He understood Anna’s place in it all right then.
“That’s right,” The man disclosed, reading the boy's face. “I’m from the outside world. You see your sister here was sending out signals of energy whenever she’d heal you. That's dangerous!” He laughed, forcefully ruffling Anna’s hair. She tittered uncomfortably.
“Sanctum tracking is hard work, you know. You need an Extractor to locate pings of Sanctum energy as small as little Anna here was letting out. Luckily, I know a guy.”
Jace was confused. Rightfully so. He had no idea what Sanctum Energy was, but his main concern was getting the trespasser away from his sister.
“I mean think about it, kid. What if some dangerous person found out where you were before us? That’d be bad right? It’s just you three here after all.”
Just us three? Jace asked himself. Oh, Anna hasn’t told him about Uncle Matsuda! Good, we gotta buy some time. Aleximus is gonna notice we’ve been gone for a while.
“That still doesn’t tell me how you got in, you bastard.”
He had insulted him so his attention would be focused on him and not Anna. The man’s eyes narrowed, swirling darkly.
“You’re pretty gutsy kid, I’ll give you that. But there's a difference between guts and bullshit.”
His voice became monotonous and chilling, causing Jace to shiver. Is he going to attack? No way! That blade can’t reach me from over there. I’ve gotta disarm him when he approaches.
The man unsheathed his blade, exposing a jagged dagger. "You wanna know how I got it? Considering you don’t know what Sanctum Energy is… Allow me to show it to you instead."
WOO~HFFZ!!!!
Faster than Jace could think, the man thrust his blade diagonally, releasing a flying slash. It hit him near his abdomen and left hand, causing him to immediately stagger back. Jace clutched his wet stomach. Slowly, he glanced down, watching as his arms soaked with his own blood. A mist of blood exploded from the missing chunk of his belly.
FZSSHSHHH!!
"Y... What… The..!"
Where his gut was supposed to be, was meagerly held together by a few strands of tissue and muscle. It was bad. More than bad. The shock, causing him to inhale, allowed his lungs to fill with blood, choking him immediately.
His legs buckled, causing another bout of pain to shoot through his spine. H-How..?
Large amounts of blood escaped his body with every passing second, determined to kill him in moments.
Anna's eyes widened with horror, struck in place with the situation before her.
“Holy fuck! You still alive kid?!” The man laughed, walking towards him. He played with his dagger, making it like he was slicing the air as he approached Jace.
“My dagger here was made with Illodium! It cuts through Sanctum energy and Sanctum Essence like butter. It was easy as shit to get in here!”
"An... na..." Jace gasped, shaking as he tried to regain his senses. He had lost power in his entire body. He watched apprehensively as the man finally stopped in front of him and crouched, meeting his line of sight. “That doesn’t look too good, Jace! What happened to those guts?!”
He waited for a second as Jace steadied his broken pants. He was only conscious due in part to his anger and his drive to rescue his sister.
The man, sadistically, grinned hungrily as he raised his empty hand and dug it into the boy’s stomach, grabbing hold of his entrails.
SQUE~LCH
Panicked and disgusted, Anna fell back, ready to vomit as her brother screeched. The man hummed happily, gripping Jacender’s intestinal tract and ripping it out gruesomely.
“NGHEA!!!” He howled, kicking angrily to push the man off of him.
The man stood, shoving Jace to the floor and throwing his large intestine out onto the grass at his side.
Laughter spilled from his lips. “Sorry kid! Looks like I was wrong! You’ve got some fuckin’ guts all right! Not anymore, but you did! So what are you gonna do, Jace?... Don’t tell me… Do you still want to fight? I don’t recommend that.”
He ran his bloodied hand through his damp hair, slicking it back as he readied his dagger again. Jace heaved up and down, doing his best to put distance between them as he crawled away.
BWOOOOHM
A sickly energy seeped from the man’s body, sending a shockwave through the field. “By the way… My name’s Hatagi.”
Being the only one who could use Sanctum Energy, Anna understood almost immediately the threat that Hatagi presented to them. She tried to rise, but his eyes followed her, issuing a silent warning.
"No no, little Anna..." He spoke with an emotionless gaze. "You wait your turn."
"ANNA!" Jace coughed, expelling blood. He had stopped crawling away and instead, gripped Hatagi’s boot, refusing to let him approach her. “No fuckin’ way…” Hatagi scoffed, raising his brow. “You really are something, eh? Most people would’ve been screamin’ for their mommies or passed out from the pain, but you… Man, oh man, I like you! Seriously, man! You’re eyein’ me like you can still kick my ass. That’s interesting!”
He reached down and caught Jace by the collar, raising him slowly until their eyes met. “You wanna dance, kid? I’m game.”
The world in Jacender’s eyes began to become a blurry haze. His body being lifted so suddenly elicited a pained cry that expedited the spillage of blood in his stomach.
He had nearly lost half of it. Hatagi seemed to understand it, so he tapped his chin, antagonizing Jace. “Don’t give up, little buddy! I know you’ve got this. Come on… If you don’t stop me here, something bad could happen to little Anna.”
Time was running out, and if he didn't receive help soon, Jace would die. She needs me... I can't... Die... Like... This… Dammit..!
Jacender shook off his dizziness, channeling his determination into power.
Hatagi whistled. “Hey, I’ll throw in a free shot! You can hit me in the face as hard as you want, kiddo.” Driven by an explosive surge of rage, Jace lunged with a primal roar and let his first fly; Sinking it into Hatagi’s chin.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
With his physical strength, it would have been game over had the blow landed. It would have shaken Hatagi’s brain and knocked him unconscious. However...
KCA~DK!!
Before Jace could reach his target, a tremendous force blasted him from behind, blowing his battered body out of his attacker’s hands and towards the waterfall statue behind Anna.
In a sickening collision, he flew into the fireball floating in its hand and continued crashing until he entered the interior cave. The jagged rocks within the waterfall clashed with his body, cracking his head atop its slick surface and impaling his torso through a sharpened spike.
SHULU~CK!
A pool of blood leaked from his lips, soaking his clothes. "Why... Me...?"
A pain set in his chest. Not from an exterior wound, but from a realization. “Am… I… Gonna… die?” he wheezed. He began to sob quietly.
Anna…
“No,” He groaned, digging his finger into the stone below him. “Aleximus needs help… We’ve gotta save… Her…”
VRMMMMM~
As he teetered on the precipice of life and death, Jacender heard the deep, resonating hum shake every fiber of his being. Like the cave, no, the world itself was shaking.
D-Damn it... Shut up...
Doing his best to ignore his closing eyelids, he stared up at the radiant white light above him.
VRMMMMM!!!!
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE AXIS
Everything happened so fast for Jace, but for Anna, time slowed to a torturous crawl.
The thought of Jacender being able to fly past her at such an indescribable speed felt like a surreal joke. But it was real. As real as the guts staining the ground a few meters away.
She looked forward nauseously. There was a newcomer.
"Tsk, you son of a bitch!” Hatagi yelled, grabbing him by the collar. “The hell's wrong with you you fat son of a bitch?! I was going to take his Sanctum Core, damn it!"
"Gah! Let go of me, Hatagi!" the man howled, squirming out of his grasp. “I thought he was going to hurt you!” He was thicker than Hatagi, but his attire was quite similar. He was his partner.
Hatagi drummed on his head with his finger, poking him sharply. "You really are a special type of 'stupid fucking idiot', are n'tcha Dopi?! That kid couldn’t hurt me! It was a god-damned punch!"
Dopi removed his mask, revealing a small scar stretching from his scalp to his jaw.
"Listen here you fat bastard, if you don’t focus, you’re going to ruin everything! Those Sanctum Cores are our ticket to getting rich, idiot. If the boss finds out we’re dealing with the church…"
A crazed anger gripped Hatagi's face, contorting his expression. He pulled his robe to the side, displaying a dark burn wrapping from his back to his abs. “...We won’t get off with just a warning.”
"N-No! No! No, I don't! Please, Hatagi, I-I understand!" Dopi stammered. Whoever their boss was, he instilled within them a fear beyond rational thought.
"Calm down, you bumbling idiot!" Hatagi snapped. He put his arm warmly over Dopi's shoulder and leaned in, smiling cockily. "Still, you did good. We’re both extractors but your sense for her Sanctum fluctuations is remarkable. Who would’ve thought that someone would be stupid enough to use Sanctum Energy in an Axis?! This place hides anything inside of it as Sanctum Essence. They were safer here than anywhere else on the planet!”
He faced himself and Dopi towards Anna’s quaking figure and smirked. “It’s like telling every horse in the desert that there’s an oasis over here. Bad idea, little Anna.”
Anna whimpered, covering her mouth. The ground became dizzying. You mean... she shook, It’s my fault?
"Hatagi," Dopi wondered, tapping his shoulder. "Aren’t Axis’s built around sacred objects? There’s only a few that the church doesn’t control, right? That means there has to be some kind of treasure in here somewhere!"
"Of course!" Hatagi smirked, letting Dopi go. "I bet even that statue over there has gotta be worth a few million. We just have to deal with our host now, don’t we?"
Anna's eyes widened. She knew they were going to come for her, but the gravity of the situation was too much for her to stomach.
RSSTLEE
Hatagi clocked the sound of shaking leaves from the forest behind them. It was near the entrance, so it was still obscured by dark. Or else it would have been to anyone without Sanctum Energy. "Hey, Dopi," Hatagi said, his eyes darting to the entrance. "How about we welcome our next guest!"
Dopi closed his eyes and extended his hand to the forest behind him, releasing a burst of energy. In a flash, the trees blew apart, sending a figure flying into the sky. Aleximus.
Before crashing, he braced himself, landing into a roll, and charged at Hatagi.
With haste, Dopi discharged a few more blasts from his palm. Nimbly, Aleximus assumed a swimmer’s position and dove into the air, closing the gap between them immediately.
“You’re fast, kid!” Hatagi smirked, drawing his dagger. “Can you dodge this?!”
KUUZZLT!
It narrowly hit him, shaving off a few inches of his hair as Aleximus ducked. But the delay offered by Hatagi’s interference allowed for Dopi to catch Aleximus by surprise. He quickly caught the boy, and with one arm, lifted him and thrashed him onto the ground. Aleximus was pinned in an instant. "How..?!"
"How?" Hatagi mimicked, sheathing his dagger again. "Well, I’m just so much fucking stronger than you. That’s how."
Aleximus snarled, trying to fight against Dopi’s grip, but it was no use. It was vice-like. “You must be Aleximus, right?” Hatagi asked. “You look like an Aleximus.”
“H-Hey, Hatagi,” Dopi coaxed. “Since I told him where we’re at and caught this kid alive… Can I have him before you kill him?” His eyes swirled with madness as he ravenously licked his lips.
"Heh," Hatagi sneered, straightening his posture. "Where is he? We’re pretty damn far out, you know. Wouldn’t be surprised if we were in the middle of the continent."
"He was near Zenica last night when I sent the message. Said he was inspecting Yong Tower, but he should be here within the hour." Dopi replied, nodding cautiously. He kept his eyes fixed on Aleximus, drawing him closer until he could smell the scent of his hair.
Lecherously, he ran his hand underneath the boy’s shirt and began salivating.
"Well, then do what you want. But keep his Sanctum Core in one piece, alright? He won't like that we damaged more goods." Hatagi shrugged.
“Shame, kid,” He turned his back to them, making his way towards Anna. “Your brother had a lot more fight in him. Maybe you don’t care as much or something. Either way… I’m disappointed.”
Dopi heaved heavily, leaning in close. "You hear that kid? Hatagi said I can have you, hehe…"
He pushed Aleximus’s head to the ground, smashing it against the grass as he pinned his arm down with his knee. “G-Give it up… You can’t fight it…” He urged, licking the boy’s neck. “Ngh!” Aleximus yelped. “Shh–Shh… I’ll make you feel good real soon.”
He mounted him, nailing Aleximus’s other arm with his free leg. “Don’t fight it,” He gulped, unbuckling his pants. “It’ll be over soon, I promise.”
“GET OFF OF ME!” Aleximus begged, trying desperately to push him away. But without the use of his arms, he had no strength. He could only watch in fear as Dopi lowered his pants.
He leaned in, attempting to kiss the boy. However, in doing so, Dopi had presented to Aleximus an opportune moment for a headbutt. And a vicious one at that.
KR~UNCH
"Get..." Aleximus shrilled, squirming out of the hold. Dopi, dazed from the blow, reeled backward and exposed his phallus. "...THE HELL OFF OF ME!" The boy finished, roaring angrily. With a sudden burst of strength, he raised his knee and delivered a beautiful groin kick to the predator, who squealed meekly.
"Y-You--" was all Dopi managed to utter through his bloody nose before Aleximus followed up his attack with a swift kick to his chin.
Dopi went down at once. “GRAH!” Aleximus thundered, launching into the air and coming down hard atop Dopi’s unprotected face.
CKA~CH! CKA~CH! KRU~NCH!
This is my chance! Aleximus thought, using the momentum from his final fall to rush at Hatagi’s unsuspecting back. He was filled with adrenaline.
He dashed, lifting his leg into the air. His goal was one hit to the skull that would shake his attacker’s brain. Unfortunately…
"HATAGI!" Dopi warned, screeching through the pool of blood streaming from his nose.
Hatagi spun around, instinctively reaching for his dagger and cut through the air. Or so he thought.
KA-FP!!
Aleximus’s foot stopped Hatagi’s arm from fully extending, allowing him to kick it away with the momentum he had built. Hatagi swiped down, hoping to hurt him with his bare hand, but Aleximus pivoted, spinning his body in mid-air to swat the hand away. In the same breath as his defense, he brought up his other leg, landing a round-house kick onto Hatagi’s nose.
How'd you like that?!
Hatagi stumbled, taking a few steps back, but remained on his feet. A trail of blood flew down his nostrils and stained his top lip.
“Now you two have matching noses.” Aleximus insulted, assuming a stance. “Don’t try acting tough. I might not be as strong as Jace, but a kick from me would put you to sleep. Get out of here. Or else.”
Hatagi growled as he wiped away the blood. He had lost his composure. “You think…” He drawled shakily. His purple aura returned, distorting the air around him and, in Aleximus’s eyes, assumed the shape of a decayed skull. "YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE ME?! WITHOUT SANCTUM ENERGY?! FUCK YOU, YOU SHITTY LITTLE BRAT! "
Aleximus’s mouth fell open in fear. His shoulders shook so badly that his tightly maintained guard dropped to his sides. It was as if, before Hatagi’s overwhelming power, he was shrinking at a rapid pace.
Hatagi noticed this. “How’s this, kid?” He grinned, withdrawing his energy. “I’ll give you the same shot your brother did. I’ll give you a chance if you want it. We’ll fight without Sanctum Energy. The gap between us will be made all the more clear to you.”
Anna was still overcome with fear and self-loathing. She couldn’t move. Aleximus knew it was the only shot he had at stopping him. He had to trust Hatagi’s word.
“Fine.”
“Excellent.” Hatagi laughed, sheathing his dagger. Aleximus approached him carefully. In a few more moments they would be near each other; Within striking range.
They inched forward, getting ever so closer. Ten more steps. Aleximus counted, clenching his fist. I can’t lose. I can’t.
He’s quick, Hatagi thought, sizing his opponent up as well. His blows aren’t all that strong, but he knows where to land them. He likes kicks too. Predictable. I’ll make use of that.
They were four feet away. Hatagi sneered, beckoning him to get nearer. Two more steps. Aleximus thought, raising his guard. One mor–
Hatagi swung, interrupting his count. Aleximus foresaw it, ducking down and sweeping at his feet. “Nice try!” Hatagi cackled, pressing his body forward for a tackle. The boy rotated, using the ground as a support for a kick-up. The blow landed on Hatagi, nearly knocking him onto his back.
But he had braced himself. He darted back from his low crouch and stood straight. He’s good. He brooded, becoming more irritated.
Aleximus charged again, throwing a flurry of chops and punches. Hatagi parried them all, provoking him with exaggerated faces. “Come on! Your brother was way better than thi–”
Aleximus had gotten close enough to reach for Hatagi’s mounted weapon. He almost would have gotten it too, but, Hatagi jumped back for space. But with that space, there was no time to ready himself for an attack that would knock him down. Aleximus dove down, launching a front kick with all the might he could muster.
KRU~/ ~LICE
Hatagi went down, landing on his rear with a sharp pain in his stomach. Aleximus on the other hand, driven by a surge of dopamine and confidence, had jumped back several steps, landing next to his frozen sister. He smirked triumphantly and shot a jibe back at him. “How do you like that?! Idiot!”
“Watch your fuckin’ mouth kid! That was a fluke! Nothing more, nothing less! Do you hear me?!”
“Shut up!” Aleximus screamed animatedly. “You lost! Now keep your word and leave!”
“Leave? Lost?”
Hatagi looked curious. He straightened his posture and reached down for something by his feet. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel that.”
Aleximus watched in horror at what the madman held. “Aint this your damn foot?!”
That's when he looked back at his leg, eyeing the flow of blood coming from his severed appendage. Aleximus could no longer feel his leg at all. He was too distracted with his so-called ‘win’ that he hadn’t felt it.
“B-But when..?” He winced, squeezing it hard. His eyes traveled to Hatagi’s other hand. In it, he held his Illodium dagger.
“You… You drew it when I kicked you!” Aleximus realized. “Of course I did! After all, there was no rule against weapons, now was there? Besides… You tried to go for it too. Ha!”
Though in agony, Aleximus raised his arms defensively in front of his sister. He would not let anyone touch Anna.
Behind Hatagi, Dopi scrambled to his feet. “He… He hit me! That stupid brat broke my nose! I’ll kill you! I swear, I’ll fucking kill you!”
He staggered angrily towards them, trying to pass Hatagi. “Get a hold of yourself you bumbling idiot!” Hatagi barked, pushing him back. “It’s your own fault for not using Sanctum Energy to protect yourself.”
A shiver went through Aleximus's spine. Damn it, I can't take them both. This is bad...
“This is where the fun stops, kid! I’m done dancing with you!” Hatagi cautioned.
Aleximus kept his gaze forward but put his hand on Anna’s leg, waking her from her funk. “Anna, are you all right?”
As if on cue, life flickered back to her panic-stricken eyes. "A-Aleximus...?" She murmured, tears welling up. "You’re here, thank go–"
Her eyes fell onto his bleeding stump and she let out a frightened cry. "Y-Your leg!" Despite her care, she was hesitant to touch it; Afraid that she might make it worse. “This is my fault, isn’t it? I’m-I’m–”
"--It's nothing. Don't worry about it. It’s not your fault." he responded. He masked his pain with a gentle smile.
"B-But it is..!" Anna sniveled, covering her mouth. “It’s all my fault! They got in because of me! I’m the reason Jace is–”
“He’s not dead. He can’t be. He’s too tough for that.”
Though she couldn’t see his face, she knew her brother was hurting inside as well. He held on to the hope that his brother was still alive. “Listen, I overheard most of what they were saying while I found my way into this place.”
Hatagi and Dopi seemed wary to approach, as if uncertain of what he might do next.
“I tried to hide in the shadows and find the best time to help you guys, but I was too late. Jace saw me, I think. We made eye contact when he was sent flying earlier.”
His words were sharp and sporadic. The pain from his leg was making him lightheaded. He couldn’t go on for much longer. “He was trying to tell me not to come out,” Aleximus recalled the moment when Jace had been propelled towards the waterfall.
"Too bad I didn't listen."
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA -- WATERFALL CAVE, THE AXIS
What... Is that? Jacender asked himself. He was alive. But barely.
Above him, something floated ethereally, calling to him on a primal level. Was it instinct? Some dormant knowledge buried deep within his soul? Or perhaps it was a force beyond comprehension, guiding his actions in his final hour.
Whatever the case, Jace kicked at the ground, pushing himself off of the spike. Luckily, it had mostly impaled his opened wound. He needed only to slip over to his side. So, summoning every last bit of energy he possessed, he threw himself over on his side.
"Augh..!"
He bled even more. This time, his lifeblood was turning yellow. It was a wonder why he hadn't yet died.
Capitalizing on his surge of determination, Jace rallied his dwindling strength, using his arms to roll over onto his back. Against all odds, he managed to propel himself upright, defying the grasp of imminent defeat.
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE AXIS
"You need help!" Anna cried, clutching onto her brother’s shirt. Blood gushed from his severed leg with each chuckle. "D-Damn it..."
"No," He said firmly. "I'm gonna get you out of here first. You’re the priority, don't worry about me!"
Anna wept silently. "Listen, about what I said," Aleximus gasped, fighting through the pain. "Earlier, in front of the Forbidden Area…–”
“--I already forgot about that!” she sobbed, shaking him frustratedly. “Save your strength! Please! I know you didn’t mean it!”
“I did mean it!” He shouted, pushing her arm away from his shirt, finally turning to look at her. There were tears in his eyes. He quickly lowered his voice, turning his attention back towards Hatagi and Dopi.
“I meant it so much. But the thing is… You weren’t the one I was mad at. I was angry at myself. I was immature, selfish, stupid… All that training -- All of it -- was my doing. I even forced you to heal us! No one forced me to, but I forced you! That wasn’t fair of me, alright? I…”
His voice cracked. “I was so adamant about leaving that I, well… I got distracted about who I was really doing it for, you know? And now, because of me, the outside world is inside.”
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA -- WATERFALL CAVE, THE AXIS
VRMMMMM!!!! VRMMMMM!!!!
Jace’s gaze was fixated on what appeared to be a floating, blueish-white book. It was thick and weighty, suspended within the brilliance of its white light, and stirred something profound within Jacender. Something that eluded his conscious memory and instilled him with emotion.
“AXIS SEALER. DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR FATE?”
A voice boomed within Jace’s head, rattling his thoughts. “OR WILL YOU FIGHT, CHILD OF DESTINY?”
Am I hallucinating?
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE AXIS
Aleximus rose to his feet, balancing carefully without the use of his left foot. “So please, Anna… Don’t you ever say its your fault.”
His eyes reddened as he sniffled. “It’d break me.”
Anna's sniveling intensified. She stammered, trying to find the right words to say. Her brother didn’t deserve to think it was his fault. He wanted to protect her. But she felt his sincerity, understanding that arguing would only break the resolve he had, as well as the responsibility he had always wanted to uphold.
She wiped away her tears and smiled trustingly.“Okay!”
He stood tall. Unwavering, in the presence of those monstrous men. She had to do what she could to reinforce his faith.
Dopi, upset that Hatagi wouldn’t allow him to attack, lost his patience. He exploded in rage and dashed towards the two siblings. "I'm sick of waiting, Hatagi! I’ll kill him now!"
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA -- WATERFALL CAVE, THE AXIS
“AXIS SEALER. DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR FATE?” The voice asked again.
Jace’s lip trembled. He knew that if he did nothing, his siblings would suffer for it. Even if he was hallucinating, he had to take the chance.
““AXIS SEALER. DO YOU ACCEPT–”
“--If..!” He grunted, stretching out his right hand.
“If I can make sure things don’t change… If I can help my sister…”
He trembled with exhaustion, but his expression was resolute. His blue eyes burned with determination.
“THEN I’LL ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY!”
With that firm declaration, he plunged his arm into the radiant mass of energy above him and grabbed the book.
VRM–
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
THE FORBIDDEN AREA, THE AXIS
"And one more thing, okay?" Aleximus smirked, readying himself for Dopi’s attack. His red eyes burned crimson, igniting a furious determination within him.
"I'll never make you feel like you have to cry again, so..!”
Dopi lunged, throwing up his arm so he could blast the pair with an energized attack.
At the same moment Jacender had grabbed the book above, Aleximus had finished yelling his own declaration. Deep within his iris, Anna saw a shadow of Jacender's confidence reflected in her brother's eye.
“I’LL KICK THESE BASTARD’S ASSES RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
KBWOO~~~OOSH!!
"WAIT YOU IDIOT!" Hatagi shouted, trying to warn Dopi. But it was too late. An overhead explosion drowned out his voice.
The waterfalls behind the siblings, the men, and every tree that encircled the Forbidden Area, imploded, sending a tsunami of water crashing atop them all.
And the statue’s hand, where a flaming ball of fire was kept alight, was extinguished by the overwhelming wall of water.
[The Forbidden Area, Part II]
Jace-- From our animated teaser trailer [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDvhCXOXkAAQWbw?format=jpg&name=medium]
The Statue-- From our animated teaser trailer [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDvhCMYXMAAtiTG?format=jpg&name=large]
Aleximus [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1122294150470058094/1206084571427512410/Aleximus_Reference_Kid.png?ex=65ed2dc9&is=65dab8c9&hm=00adf759ec43d6b27dd3cb1ff0a84e41e8a0d3e7b32ef48e355431d2df0fdb2c&]
Anna [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1122294150470058094/1206085179609845800/Anna_reference_sheet_1.png?ex=65ed2e5a&is=65dab95a&hm=902089274ff2a97b7bb84744a04ee7526a457dea817bc0f959d05fad8be21fa0&]
Hatagi! [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1122294150470058094/1138129898641305692/Hatagi_2.png?ex=65ef2191&is=65dcac91&hm=820c622b7a4562e8a6f8e6a53faeca5ab84be7e0b68b5391edc43e39f96f6bfe&]
Dopi-- Concept art [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1042643840286347295/1169331505303142481/Dopi_Ryoma.png?ex=65e8abd3&is=65d636d3&hm=ae4ee2758d9d965fd9beef45cf3830d6ed48568af85ca4ee5c4b8cfd53221149&]