The Forbidden Area
[ALEXIMUS — BLACK]
"When the gates fall," An imposing voice rang in Aleximus's head. "A man of golden brilliance shall descend from the sky and usher forth a time of great change."
Within instants, several abstract images flashed throughout his mind, making him feel as if he were falling through real events – not just dreams. One thing was for certain: this wasn't like any nightmare he'd ever felt before.
CLANGK!
"A duel shall mark the final hour of respite." the voice continued, revealing a moving image of two figures – one black, and one blue – clashed with each other on a blood-soaked battlefield surrounded by hundreds of red-skinned faces. The one in black was masked and yelled hurriedly to the faces as he brought his blade down upon his white-haired opponent.
In the burst of energy, the scene shattered, exploding and blasting both fighters away. The black figure's apple and book-designed mask crumpled and fell, fading into the next scene. Again, the voice echoed throughout Aleximus's mind like an empty cave.
"The caged ram of Verglas seeks the stars, but the emissaries of Sun and Moon oppose him, sparking an oldfangled debt,"
FWOOOOOSH!!
Fire suddenly engulfed the dreamscape, ripping through the ground at dangerous speeds. A bright moon hung overhead next to a staggeringly hot sun. Both stars faced the illuminated figure of a green-haired man whose face was obscured by the light. Etched onto his long coat was a symbol Aleximus had never seen before – A ram's head covering two crossed axes.
Below the man's boots came a heavy and eerie steam that turned the ground beneath him into pure ice. But then came another shift.
The lighting of the previous dreamscape dimmed, fading into the gloomy great chamber of a black castle. Aleximus found himself materialized in an ink-colored throne room lined with white pillars and a dark throne.
Above, on several different elevated platforms, stood six shadowy figures with sharp, crimson eyes. He wondered if they represented rank or something else.
"Those forsaken by time," The voice bellowed once more, "...Shall seek vengeance upon the newcomer and his apostles."
Aleximus's vision was forcibly pulled down to the ground level where the masked man he'd seen earlier sat on the black throne with a large banner hanging behind him: A slender, blank mask accompanied by a full head of dark hair and eight striking horns poking out.
CRRRRRUUUUUU!!
A flash of blue filled the scene until only white remained. In the empty space, a thick blueish book floated forward, its pages flipping open for Aleximus to see. He hesitated to approach it, but once he did, pages began to whip by swiftly until they reached the very end where a familiar image sat blurred in the middle. Someone the boy knew personally.
Jacender.
The pages of the book were set ablaze in an instant, when, "And when the air turns to fire..!" shot through Aleximus's ears. A dazzling combination of flaming colors enveloped his vision, hiding a smiling face behind the torrent of eruptions.
"The son of destiny must accept his fate!!"
BOOM!
Aleximus awoke in a cold sweat, rocked by the dream. He jumped up in his bed and found that his blanket had already been removed.
"O…w…" a voice underneath him moaned. He squinted, second-guessing what he'd heard, and looked down. "Over here," Jace's voice whined weakly. On the floor next to his bed, Aleximus found Jacender sprawled out with a fresh streak carved into his face. A footprint.
Aleximus's eyes traveled from it to his leg, which he found outstretched. "What the heck..?"
Jace stood and felt for his nose. "... Ah... Oww... " he moaned and felt for his nose. His brother's kick had dented his face inwards and numbed his eyes and mouth to his touch.
"J-Jace?!" Aleximus stammered, finally registering who it was. "Did I kick you?!"
Jacender tried speaking but realized it was futile. He – almost cartoonishly – grabbed at the edges of his face and pulled until his nose and mouth popped back out. "Hyi Hwus Gus Twyna Hwake Hyu Hup..!"
"Wake me up..?" Aleximus repeated. He thought back to his dream. It had felt too realistic. As if someone was forcibly showing him images he couldn't look away from.
"Sorry… I must've hit you by reflex."
He clutched his chest, feeling if his heartbeat had calmed. It hadn't.
"I... It's alright," Jace bleated. "Must've been some nightmare to get you all riled up like that, huh?"
"...Yeah, guess so…"
Aleximus closed his eyes and recalled the image of his brother's printed face on the strange book. "Some nightmare..."
Jace narrowed his eyes, realizing something wasn't right. Aleximus would have normally chastised him over a comment like that. He was never this shaken up. Whatever he had dreamt seemed to have bothered him greatly. But before Jacender could ask any questions, the door to their room swung open with a clump!
"What the heck is going on in here?!" their uncle Matsuda hollered. He stomped into the center of the room wearing a kitchen apron that read 'World's best Duncle' and an absurdly thick rolling pin in his left hand.
"I heard something crash! What was it?!"
The twins hugged, fear printed on their faces. "Huh? A noise..?" Jace stuttered. "I-It's nothing! I just fell earlier!"
"Uncle Matsuda, Jace--" Aleximus started. "SSH!!" their uncle commanded. "Do you want Anna to wake up before everything is done!?"
He raised the rolling pin aggressively and snarled. "I've been planning this for the past month! Do you know how hard it was to grow vanilla beans?!"
"Don't ruin this day…" A sheen of seriousness reflected in his purple eyes as he stomped again. "...Or I'll kill you!"
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[A FEW MOMENTS LATER]
Matsuda stood in the doorway, watching on as the boys cleaned their room. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat, saying, "If you've got it, then hurry up. Breakfast is in one hour." and turned to leave.
"Uncle Matsuda!" Jace blurted, stopping him in his tracks. He hid his shaky hands behind his back and continued. "We both, uh… we… we thought about what you told us last night."
There was a pause. Aleximus carefully examined his uncle's expression to find a change. There wasn't one.
Jacender, too, realized but kept going. "We know you already don't like it – us training... And obviously, we can't hide it from you anymore, but there's something I think we should tell you…"
Aleximus nearly yelped as a tingle crawled up his skin. "Jace!" he barked, praying his brother wasn't going to say what he thought he would.
Matsuda raised his brow and took the bait. "And what's that?"
Jacender closed his eyes. He understood he was betraying Aleximus's trust, but pressed on anyway. He had to do it. "Uncle we–"
"–JACE! SHUT UP!" his brother snapped, whipping his head towards him. "You can't–"
"No, I should!" Jace protested. His face was almost white with seriousness, and he refused to look him in the eye. "Come on Aleximus! You saw what lying did – how it hurt Anna! I'm not gonna do the same thing with Uncle Matsuda!"
Aleximus's throat nearly dried. He couldn't argue back against those words. He had no choice but to reluctantly choke back his own words and stay silent.
"Listen," Jace said with a deep breath. He relaxed his tone and finally looked at him. This time, Aleximus was the one withholding eye contact.
"I'm happy that you know what your dream is and how you want to chase it, but…" He faced his uncle, speaking directly to him now. "If you guys don't figure out the problem here… Things… Things will change. And they won't be good."
"So if this keeps things from changing, well I'd rather do that than make us split up!"
Matsuda exhaled softly and leaned against a nearby wall. "I'm aware of that, Jace."
Aleximus, furious, rolled his eyes, muttering, "Yeah, well see if you'll still be happy after you hear what he says."
Their uncle nodded, encouraging Jacender to speak his mind. There was no way around this; It had to be discussed.
Jacender stepped forward, his face and palms read. "We want to leave the Axis."
They winced preemptively, assuming he would go off and yell, but to their surprise, he shrugged. "I'm aware of that, Jace," he repeated.
He put his hand up, stopping their assumptions immediately with, "No, your sister did not tell me. Nor did I hear either of you conspire about it."
He chuckled softly and brushed his bangs back with his free hand. "You just have a tendency to act rashly. It's common for children your age to be curious. Though, I wonder if you get that from your father."
They both winced at the word 'father' and scoffed."This isn't about him." Jace said, brushing the comment off. "This is Aleximus's dream. Not his."
Matsuda stepped forward. "Be that as it may, the outside world isn't safe. You may both think it's some wondrous place, but it is not." He stopped just short of them and tousled their dark hair with a faint smile. "And you may know how to fight… but please, don't let that delude you into taking on the world."
Aleximus stared into his uncle's eyes and watched as they bore into them – as if staring past the room and into someplace entirely different. "There are dangerous people out there. People who – if given the chance – would hurt you and your sister without a second thought. Is that something you want to happen?"
Matsuda recalled a fire. He remembered twelve years ago, how a man bathed in flames entrusted him with one final task. One that he sacrificed everything else for.
He closed his eyes and thought back to that time. Back to the last day he had seen the boys' father.
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[THE AXIS, GOLDEN MEADOW – ELEVEN YEARS AGO]
"Please take care of them,"
A man covered in crimson flames, like a protective suit of armor, stood before Matsuda with his chest pumped forward and a large grin. Matsuda knelt on the floor, his face caked with dried blood, wearing a dark purple kimono lined with red spider lilies.
The rest of the stranger's face was obstructed by the flames, but his lower mouth and red beard were alit with fantastical fervor. Floating before him, with its pages flipping sporadically, was a large blue and white book emitting energy with a loud vrrrmm sound.
They watched the ring of fire around then slowly fade and seep into the ground, spreading to form red streaks throughout the grass and transform it. All around them, an iridescent veil began to form and enclose the entire area, stretching into the distance far beyond what Matsuda could see as large, dark-red Ashtrees sprang from the ground and became a fathomless forest. This was the creation of the Axis.
In Matsuda's arms, wrapped gingerly beneath him, were two twins peacefully asleep. "Are you sure of this?" he asked the man with a cracked voice. "Runnulf?!"
The man named Runnulf ran his hand through the babies' hair and smiled. "You're the only one I can trust with this, Matsuda. You'll keep them safe won't you?"
Matsuda bit his lip hard and forced back tears. "This isn't fair!! They deserve a father!"
Runnulf turned his back to them, his flames flaring one final time. "No," he grinned, disappearing behind the wall of flames. "They have one."
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[THE AXIS, TWINS' ROOM – PRESENT TIME]
Matsuda smirked reminiscently and opened his eyes. He fondly recalled the twins as babies and removed his hands from their heads. Though they had grown larger, they were still the precious children he held all those years ago. Despite their best intentions, he knew more than they ever could. And to keep the promise he made, he knew they needed to be protected.
"I understand you've been training," he said in a low-keyed tone, "But I made a promise to keep you safe. You're safe here."
He lowered his hand again, hoping that they would understand, but in a flash –
POK!
Aleximus slapped away his arm and stood straighter. "We do understand! But you don't have to protect us anymore! I want to do something with my life! I don't want to live here forever! I'm tired of doing the same things over and over again! If this is what living is… Then I'd rather be dead!"
"Aleximus!" Jace said sharply. Aleximus ignored him and paced around in a circle, grabbing his head and grumbling with every deep breath. "I understand! I know there's a world out there that could be bad! I believe you, alright?! But making a decision about our future without giving it a chance..?!"
His body shook with anger. "That's just unfair!"
Jace tried to grab him – to stop him from saying something he would regret. "Aleximus! Calm down!"
Tears welled in his brother's eyes. It was obvious how strongly he felt; His feelings were hurt.
Their uncle seemed split, but wouldn't budge. Instead, he crossed his arms and turned towards the door. "I'm sorry Aleximus, but the world just isn't fair."
The door opened and closed with a clump behind Matsuda.
"Hey," Jace asked, approaching Aleximus, "Are you oka–"
"It doesn't matter," he whispered through gritted teeth. He wiped away a forming tear and turned away from his brother. "I'm not giving up on what I want to do."
No matter what!
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[THE AXIS, TREEHOUSE DINING ROOM – ONE HOUR LATER]
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNA!!!"
A purple popper in Matsuda and Jacender's hands exploded, releasing a flare of confetti above them. Out of the falling streamers came fireworks that crackled and popped in the air, spelling out Anna's name as they frizzled. She giggled, "Yay!" and jumped up and down, basking in the glow of the celebration.
Hanging above the dining table was a colorful banner reading, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, drawn with the crayon-scribbled smiling faces of her uncle and brothers.
"Well, Anna?" Matsuda smiled with a raised brow, "Did you like the banner? I made it myself~"
He raised his arms in a tiki-like fashion and danced rhythmically around the table, singing, "Yes I did! Yes I did!" over and over again.
"Wha–?!" Jace exclaimed with an irritated point. He copied his uncle, taking his dancing stance, and bobbed around the table. "I helped too! Don't try to take all the credit!"
His uncle smirked mischievously and shrugged. "Well, I'm the one who got the supplies~"
"T-That's not fair!" Jace said, puffing up his red cheeks. He sped up his dance moves and spun in a circle.
"Ugh," Aleximus groaned listlessly. He sat at the far end of the dining table, drinking from a cup of sparkling juice. He had changed his outfit, but it was similar to the one he'd worn the day before. Instead of his double-layered long-sleeved white shirt, he wore a black one with a red collar and a grey contrasting sleeve. His expression said that he wasn't in the mood for games, but he did feel jealous that Jacender and his uncle were getting the credit. It's not like it's all that.
He felt someone tap his shoulder and noticed Anna twiddling with the creases of her skirt. "What?" he asked.
She pointed at the decorations. "Did you help out too?"
"Hmph!" he huffed, crossing his arms. "Never!"
It's not like she'll like it or anything!
Anna slouched over and pouted. "Alright…"
She took off running towards Jacender and Matsuda. "Well, I loved it anyway! Thanks, uncle! Jace!"
Aleximus quickly dropped his brooding facade and turned pink. Flustered, he jumped to his feet, mumbling, "W-Wait, you like it? In that case, I helped too!"
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[SOME TIME LATER]
With early morning celebrations completed, Matsuda allowed the kids to leave, telling them that he would handle the dishes, and shooed them out of the treehouse.
Anna grabbed her brothers by their arms and hauled them off towards the elevator.
"Damn, she caught up," Aleximus muttered. With his free hand, Jace pulled the lever, sending them down. "You guys were gonna leave me behind again weren't you?" Anna smirked. She smacked them both in the face and faced the door once the lift had touched the ground.
"Tsk... What are you up to?" Aleximus asked, rubbing his cheek. Anna dragged them both out with one hand coiled tightly around each of their arms.
"Today, we're gonna do what I want!"
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[THE AXIS, RESTRICTED AREA]
Aleximus and Jacender's faces were caught with shock. "Anna…" he breathed, unable to put his surprise into words.
Jace's eyebrows bent in, his eyes darkening with an otherworldly fear. "F-F-F-F-F-F--" he stuttered, darting back. He wailed, "FORBIDDEN AREA!", and dove behind a nearby tree. Panic shot out from his throat piercing Aleximus's ears.
"Shut up you idiot!" his brother barked.
"B-B-But...-"
"No but's! Shut up!"
He faced Anna. "As for you – Explain yourself! Why'd you bring us here?"
He hadn't expected Anna to bring them to the one place in the Axis where their uncle warned them not to go. It was one of the only pieces of advice from Matsuda that he had ever heeded. Having never been there himself, he left mention of it to only when he'd tease Jace. Once they had laid eyes on the dark and secluded area of trees, he felt an unease set within his stomach.
Anna noticed the change and apprehensively fiddled with her skirt, stammering, "W–Well I just wanted to help you guys! T–To prove I'm strong enough to leave the Axis with you!"
Aleximus groaned and smacked his forehead, his agitation palpable. "But what does that have to do with the Forbidden Area?"
"I heard you two talking about it yesterday! You said it was the only place in the Axis you hadn't checked!"
She searched his eyes, hoping he would understand. "It's why I came here last night! When everyone was sleeping!"
Aleximus staggered back, and Jace poked his head out, struck with terror.
"You what?!"
Immediately, she realized she had said the wrong thing. "N-No! I just wanted to leave the Axis with you too!" she began rambling, "I wanted to help, So, I came here! I–I–"
She looked at Aleximus's face and noticed his grim expression; Like wrath in human form. Her brother shook silently, doing his best to process her words.
Anna scrambled, pointing into a dark patch of land a few meters away. "Look!" she urged, "The entrance is right over there! I can show you!"
"Entrance..?" Jace strained his eyes, …But I don't see anything…
"No! There is! You just don't have Sanctum Energy! So you can't see it!" she fretted. "The man in green showed me how–"
"--ARE YOU SOME TYPE OF IDIOT?!" Aleximus boomed.
They both spun towards him. His fist was balled up and indented into a tree trunk next to him. He had punched it in his anger.
Jace emerged from his hiding spot with a cautious tone. "Aleximus!"
Anna whimpered and stepped back. "I-I'm sorry, I–"
"You what?!" her brother shouted. "You weren't thinking? Do you think you're strong? Huh?!"
He towered over her, stepping forward until she backed into a tree. " What if you were hurt, you idiot! You don't think things through, Anna! It's our job to protect you! Not the other way around!"
Tears streamed down her face, soaking her collar. "I didn't mean to… I was careful…" she sniffled, "I'm not lying… I Promise…"
Her voice cracked and became something between a squeal and a high-pitched whimper. "M-My new friend helped me enter..! He told me all about Sanctum Energy and the Outside World! I–I–"
An anger flashed across Aleximus's body, turning even his knuckles red. "This isn't a joke! You think you can blame it all on your imaginary friends?! Grow up!"
"Aleximus!" Jace roared, fearing he'd gone too far. He tackled his brother and shoved him to the floor. "Shut your mouth! Right now, you bastard!"
Staggered hics escaped Anna's lips as droplets fell down her cheek. She quickly covered her face, crying, "I'm not lying…", and retreated into the forest before Jacender could call her name. She disappeared into the darker region of the Forbidden Area she had pointed out before and sobbed silently.
Seeing that, Aleximus's eyes snapped back into focus, his outrage dissipating within seconds, and jerked up. "A-Anna–" he faltered, rising to his feet. But it was too late. She was gone.
Jace paced around, grabbing the sides of his hair in an attempt to calm down, and sucked his teeth. "Are you happy now?!"
He looked at Aleximus like he was trying to understand him. Despite being twins, there was always a part to him that he couldn't break through to. A part that felt cold – detached.
Aleximus averted his gaze and didn't answer. Jace quickly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and raised him until they were eye-to-eye. His blue eyes weren't shining, they were stone-like and critical. He wasn't quite angry, but he was tired.
"Listen," he shook him, "I know you didn't mean any of what you said, but that's not an excuse! You're getting too obsessed with leaving. You're not angry with Anna – you're just angry with Uncle Matsuda for what he said!"
Aleximus gritted his teeth. "You don't know what you're–"
"–You're just scared, aren't you?! That even if you leave, things will be dangerous for Anna! You know it!"
"Damn it, Jace, mind your business!"
"NOT A CHANCE, YOU BASTARD!"
He dropped Aleximus and shook his head. "You need to think about what you actually want, Aleximus. Not what you think you do."
He turned his back to him and walked away. "There's only one person you're actually mad at. And it isn't Anna."
"Where are you going?" Aleximus asked, wiping his cheek. "To look for her!" Jace yelled, as he too, vanished into the dark forest. "Unlike you, I'm not scared to face my fears!"
Aleximus dug his fingers into the ground and tapped his forehead. Damn it! He groaned inside, What was I thinking..?
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[THE AXIS, HOME]
Aleximus found his uncle standing in the kitchen washing the dishes and took a seat at the dining table. It had been cleared of the decorations from earlier, and the treehouse had been cleaned of any leftover mess.
"Whew." Matsuda sighed, ready to begin his final batch of plates and utensils. He raised an eyebrow, noticing Aleximus's gloomy demeanor, and thought back to their conversation that morning. He assumed it must've been that.
"These dishes sure are hard work," he remarked, peeking out the corner of his eye. Aleximus ignored him.
"Well, I sure wish I had someone to help me do 'em! Oh, that someone sure would be a great help right now." his uncle continued. Aleximus looked away from him, this time forcing himself not to hear. He knew his uncle wanted his attention.
Matsuda detected his emotionless face fading and knew what would get it to crack.
"Ahk!" he cried, falling exaggeratedly. "My hip!"
Aleximus covered his mouth and stifled a laugh.
"Oh, the humanity..!" Matsuda continued, sinking into the floor as dramatically as possible. "I've been bested by dishes! I heard plates were dangerous but I guess I just wasn't hip to it!"
With that, Aleximus finally succumbed to laughter. He snorted for a moment, then snickered until the room was filled with laughter erupting straight from his belly. His uncle had notoriously bad jokes, but somehow, he always knew how to make him laugh.
"Hey," Matsuda smiled wiping his hands on his apron. "I could use a hand with the rest of these. Wanna help?"
Aleximus wiped his teary eyes and nodded quietly, rising from the table and standing next to him.
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[A FEW MINUTES LATER]
Matsuda placed his last dish on the rack and cleaned off his hands. "You know, I've given some thought to what we talked about this morning."
Aleximus felt his body halt with shock, wondering what he had to say, and listened intently. His uncle sighed, noticing his apprehension, and directed him towards the table. He leaned against the countertop as his nephew took a seat.
"Firstly," his voice softened, "I don't ever want you to feel like I'm against your dreams and aspirations. It's actually the opposite, Aleximus. I want you to grow and thrive as you discover your place in the world. So, that being said, I apologize for the argument this morning."
Aleximus's eyes widened excitedly. Does that mean–
"However," Matsuda raised his hand, interrupting his thoughts.
"It is my responsibility to keep you safe. That was your father's final wish. And you must understand that I would die to fulfill that promise."
His eyes softened, drifting back to a conversation he'd once held in the past. That being said...
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[黄金のフラワーバー (GOLDEN FLOWER BAR), ONIX EMBASSY – SIXTEEN YEARS AGO]
Sitting on a wooden bar stool was a Matsuda, in his younger twenties wearing a purple yukata. An almost lavender color wisteria flower was embroidered into his sleeves, giving the impression of bloom.
Next to him sat a shorter man in dark brown robes with a thin, short beard poking out of his goatee. His face was flushed with red and he hiccupped as he poured himself a glass from a thick bottle labeled Xakron. "You sure you don't want to enjoy the festival, Matsuda?" he asked without looking. "This is a special occasion, no?"
Matsuda smiled and neatly set down his glass. Outside the bar, dozens of people passed, chanting celebratory tunes and letting firecrackers off into the air. The bar itself was practically empty, with only a handful of passed-out drinkers scattered about. Everyone in Hanami City was out celebrating the inauguration of the Embassy's new president.
"Sakurano was always going to win the vote," Matsuda answered. "Now that he's the leader of the Embassy, I can't afford to waste my time with distractions. I have to be ready for whatever comes next."
He relaxed his shoulders and looked at his drinking buddy. He could smell the liquor wafting from his lips. "And you, Ivan? How do you plan to celebrate? The Succession War was a success, wasn't it?"
Ivan laughed and refilled his glass. "Just because Runnulf and Malik are happy doesn't mean I am! I'm still hated back in Xastol, not to mention the unwanted attention Jeremiah has given us!"
"And Gwentyn?" Matsuda smirked, watching Ivan splutter at the name. "Malik said you've grown feelings for her. Why don't you try your luck?"
"Malik should keep his fat mouth shut!" his friend blushed. He hurriedly swallowed his alcohol and averted his gaze. "He has a new girl every other week! He should mind his own business!"
CLOUU~UWW
The smell of sweet flowers drifted into the bar behind them, alerting them to the sound of the glass door opening.
"Hey, what are you two doing over here, moping around?!" a smothered voice asked. Matsuda and Ivan turned to see three newcomers: A well-mannered looking violet-haired young woman in a multi-layered kimono, a tall man in his late twenties with hair similar to Matsuda's, wearing a pink and blue royal montsuki — and another red-haired young man sporting a red and black yukata. His face was hidden behind a white fox mask which only enhanced his piercing blue eyes.
"Brother," Matsuda greeted, rising to bow to the older man. "What brings you here with Kazumi and Runnulf? Where's Hiroshi?"
Sakurano waved him off and took a seat next to him. "Surprisingly, he asked for a few hours to handle matters with an old acquaintance. I didn't think I'd need security today, so I granted Hiroshi's request."
"And we were looking for you, Matsuda," Runnulf interjected. "I can't party without my brother-in-law can I?"
Sakurano's cheeks burned with anger. "Insolent fool!" he yelled, drawing a short blade from within his sleeve. "You think I'll allow an outsider to wed my sister?!"
Kazumi, the young lady, got in between them almost immediately. I knew it… she sighed. "Calm down, elder brother. Runnulf is just joking."
"Nothing you can do about it anyway, shithead." Runnulf laughed with a sneer. He turned his nose up at Sakurano and egged him on.
Matsuda smiled, weary of the attention they might draw, and returned his brother's attention to the counter with a motion to the bartender. "Now, now… Let's not do this again. Sakurano, you're the president now. You have to be the bigger man, okay?"
Ivan muttered, "Runnulf needs to grow up too,", and decided to grab the bottle itself and drink from it. "What's up with him?" Runnulf pointed.
"I think it has something to do with Gwentyn," Matsuda told him, "He's been downing that Xakron wine for nearly an hour now. He said human wine won't give him 'enough of a buzz.'"
Runnulf chuckled. "Isn't one shot of that stuff enough to turn your liver into stone?"
"Doesn't seem like he cares much."
Behind them, Kazumi murmured to herself. "Gwentyn..?"
FZZZZZ!
Runnulf whistled at the fireworks cloaking the sky and let out an excited squeal. "Malik snatched Mercurius to talk to some girls; Something about teaching him to socialize more. We need that same initiative! Let's go party!"
Sounds about right. Matsuda thought, finishing his drink.
"Ha," Ivan burped, waving to Matsuda, "Good luck. Your soldier here doesn't want to celebrate."
"Huh? Why not?" Runnulf asked. Matsuda pinched Ivan's arm and turned to the others. "The era is changing. If I'm to wholeheartedly dedicate myself to preserving whatever Sakurano ushers in… then I cannot indulge in my own pleasures."
His eyes softened as he tipped his head to his older brother. "Besides, I'm just a simple shinobi. It's how I was raised. It is how I shall remain."
Sakurano — who had beckoned the bartender for another drink — rubbed the lines around his eyes. "Oh, little brother… You're still such a fool."
Runnulf chuckled and dragged a nearby stool closer to Matsuda. "Celebration is important. Yes, the era is changing here in the Onix Embassy, but it's a history you managed to carve out yourself with the Hanako. It's not history just because you've made it — it's history because you've lived through it."
"As much as I hate to agree with this punk," Sakurano tsked, "We of the current generation hold the responsibility to facilitate this new era. The former administration that forced you into becoming a weapon is now gone. We fought for this, Matsuda: The power to foster the next generation and the ones after that. We did this so those who come after do not ever have to suffer as we have."
Kazumi gently touched Matsuda's face, caressing him carefully. "One petal is certainly important, but the blooming flower is what makes it beautiful."
Matsuda's eyes widened with a slight buzz. The alcohol within his stomach shifted from a cold and chilly into a warm and invigorating heat. He stared into Runnulf's eyes, as if unable to look away. He'd always had a way to entice others with his words.
"It's my firm belief that the future generations carry on the embers we leave behind," Runnulf said. "Each age has to be different from the one that came before them. Change can foster peace, though peace can't always foster change. But even in times of peace, things will definitely change. It's unavoidable."
VRRRMM
He stuck out his hand and in it, a ball of flames appeared, almost like a miniature star. It was a sun that radiated with power and assurity.
"Belief will turn into conviction, Matsuda. And conviction won't bend. You should know that."
"...But what will be left for me once things change?" Matsuda questioned.
Runnulf's sun glew even brighter until the entire bar was filled with almost blinding light. "An unyielding conviction is bound to bring change eventually. You just need to have trust that whoever that conviction belongs to will do what's right when the time comes."
WHIIIIZZZZ!
Another firework went off behind Runnulf, dotting the air above the cheering crowds with flowers of energy, spreading across the sky like a garden.
"I…" Matsuda smiled, lowering his head, "I'll believe, Runnulf."
Though no one could see behind his mask, they all knew the red-haired teenager was smirking with glee.
Then, Kazumi suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!", bringing all eyes back to her.
"I remember now! Ivan, I saw some men trying to approach Gwentyn earlier! I think they want to ask her out to the festival!"
The liquor in Ivan's system looked as if it had disappeared in moments as he jumped to his feet. His droopy eyes filled with outrage and sharpened with one question: "WHERE IS SHE?!"
"Near Illawood Hotel! You can get there in five minutes if you hurry!" Kazumi laughed. Ivan had already dashed through them all and made his way out the door before she could even finish the sentence.
Runnulf leaned into Kazumi and whispered, "Do those guys exist?"
Kazumi covered her mouth and chuckled. "No, she's in the hotel lobby studying a book. No one invited her to the festival, so she's trying to get some work in. I figured with enough liquor in his system, Ivan would finally have the guts to ask her." she giggled.
Runnulf laughed and made his way to the door. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's celebrate!"
Sakurano and Matsuda stood, following Kazumi and Runnulf out of the door. Above them, the fading glow of a blue flax flower illuminated their figures.
A new age was coming. And he needed to not only nurture it but be prepared for it to change. That, he realized, was what it meant to be human. It's what it meant to have a choice.
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[THE KITCHEN, THE AXIS – PRESENT TIME]
That's right… Matsuda smiled to himself, …Dreams find a way to persist. No matter what happens, no one has the power to stop change. It's human nature.
A tear fell from his eyes. He quickly wiped away his stinging eye and turned to Aleximus.
"Uncle, are you okay?" the boy asked.
His uncle shook his head, murmuring, "It's nothing,", and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You know, you were right. In a way anyway."
"In my pursuit of honoring his final wish, I allowed myself to become blind to what kind of man he was. To what kind of man he had wanted me to be."
Aleximus furrowed his brow and spluttered with surprise. "What are you..? Are you saying..?"
"Yes," Matsuda nodded. Then, after a pause, he withdrew his hand. "I will allow you to leave the Axis."
A chill ran through the boy's spine. He couldn't believe it in the slightest. "Are you serious?" he stammered.
"I am. I'm aware I've given you much pushback regarding this issue, but I'd lost sight of something even more important. Your path is your own to forge – not anyone else's. You'll never become your own person that way."
Aleximus smiled but quickly frowned. "I sense a 'but' coming." he quipped. Matsuda snorted. "Yes, young man, there is a 'but'."
He raised a finger. "When choosing your path, I want you to make sure it's not the wrong one -- that nothing can steer you off of it despite anything. Not even me."
"And two," he said, raising his second finger and forming a peace sign, "Make sure that whatever you do, you enjoy doing it wholeheartedly!"
Aleximus eyed the floorboards intently, his cheeks burning hot pink. "I–"
An image of Anna's crying face flashed across his brain, stopping him immediately. An intense wave of shame washed over him. "I… I'm sorry uncle. I don't deserve to. Not after today."
"What happened?"
He grabbed his left arm and gripped it tightly. "I… I snapped at Anna today. It was so stupid… I… I got angry at her for doing what I did, trying to find a way out of the Axis. I was a hypocrite, a-and mean. When I realized that you could be right – that I could get us all hurt – I got angry. I… I got scared."
Matsuda's brow creased slightly. He understood the turmoil going on in the boy's mind. Growing up with so many questions and no answers would make anyone paranoid. He raised his arm and ruffled Aleximus's dark hair.
"It's okay, buddy. It's natural to not know how to feel when you need to vent. I'm sure Jacender has calmed her down by now. I just hope you didn't go overboard."
Aleximus didn't look him in the eyes. Matsuda snickered, "Ooh, it's that bad huh?", and lifted his chin so he'd face him.
"She…" Aleximus began. "...She went into the Forbidden Area."
The color in Matsuda's face drained almost immediately, causing his cheekbones to feel almost hollowed and pale. His purple eyes darkened as a shadow of worry covered him.
"W-Whats the matter?" Aleximus shivered, noticing the change.
His uncle grabbed him hard and shook him. "Aleximus! Listen to me very carefully! Is this true?!"
"Y-Yeah! She said she got in with something called Sanctum Energy!"
Matsuda froze. Sanctum Energy? But how?! She's not twelve yet; it should be impossible for her to see past the veil! The Sanct beasts guarding it should have scared her away!
Aleximus studied his uncle's face. Slowly, he was beginning to understand that something was wrong. This was serious.
"Did she say anything else?!" his uncle asked anxiously. "Anything at all?!"
"A-Anything else..?" Aleximus repeated. He racked his brain at their conversation earlier that day. "M-My new friend helped me enter..! He told me all about Sanctum Energy and the Outside World!
T-That's it! He realized. "Uncle, there's something I have to tell you!"
Matsuda let him go and stepped back, waiting eagerly for what he'd say. "Anna…" his nephew finally said, "S-She can use Sanctum Energy. She's been using it for almost a month now…"
A terrified groan escaped his uncle's lips. Something in his mind was whirring, and Aleximus could see it all clicking together behind his eyes. Whatever it was was dawning on him too.
"Aleximus, answer me this — Has Anna been getting any headaches as of late? Any that was out of the ordinary?!"
An unprecedented horror chilled Matsuda's blood the moment his nephew nodded. "OH NO!!" he yelled, dashing out of the kitchen. "YOU STAY HERE, ALEXIMUS!"
Aleximus took a step back. A strange sense of trepidation raised each of the hairs on his neck as Anna's words replayed in his mind.
"M-My new friend helped me enter..! He told me all about Sanctum Energy and the Outside World!"
When she had said it, he'd assumed she was referring to an imaginary friend or even just lying to get him to calm down. However… If Anna was serious, that meant his uncle had come to the same conclusion he did.
His pupils traveled to the bulky kitchen knife on the dish rack and grabbed it without a thought. He wouldn't have time to go find his training sword.
CLA~UMP
Aleximus knocked the front door open, springing past the stone walkway in front of the treehouse, and leaped onto the elevator plank. He couldn't even remember pulling the lever or reaching the bottom. Everything was a blur.
He had but one destination in mind: The Forbidden Area. He prayed he was wrong as he ran. He prayed that what he realized had not really happened. But most of all, he prayed he'd get there in time.
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[MATSUDA'S ROOM, THE AXIS]
Matsuda frantically tossed his bed over and knocked it against a wall with a thunderous klang! He leaned down, sinking to his knees, and grabbed onto a loose floorboard and yanked it out. Below him awaited a faded, black, and purple chest with a thin lock.
He pulled the pin holding his hair and band together and jammed it into the lock, shattering it immediately. As he opened the box, his hair began to sit near his nape, not quite falling just yet. Then, out came a handful of black talismans before he reached for the last two items at the very bottom of the chest: A short sickle attached to a heavy iron chain, encrusted with the marking "死神", and a dark purple kimono with red spider lilies embroidered into its seams. The same outfit he had worn a decade prior when he first entered the Axis.
He released a heavy sigh and glowered until a deep vein pulsed from his forehead down to his neck. The sickle's clean blade reflected his gaze tenfold, causing a purple sheen of electricity to emanate from him. It was slow at first, but the angrier he became, the more visible the aura took shape until they became lightning bolts.
Matsuda hated it – having to return to who he was. The man in the sickle was someone he had locked away over a decade ago.
He reluctantly raised the blade and held it to the band that tied his ponytails, severing it in one, fluid motion until the rest of his hair fell freely onto his shoulders. Once he did, the objects around his dresser and even the floor beneath him shook and cracked, as if they couldn't bear seeing him like this.
KZZZZZTTTT! BZZZZZZEEEE!!
Each item screeched and shattered from the thunderous energy until his room was in disarray. His anger had reached its boiling point. For the first time in almost twelve years, he was using his powers again. He was using Sanctum Energy.
The treehouse itself thrashed against his awesome power, unable to contain his growing wrath. The man who had gone so far as to seal his own powers to keep his children safe had once more allowed its fearsome shadow to bare its fangs.
It was all because of something that went unnoticed under his supervision. Something that he had done his best for twelve years to prevent. Something he should have foresaw.
Matsuda's energy exploded, splitting his ceiling in half with an animalistic howl.
He stared up into the sky with a furrowed brow. Since he was using Sanctum Energy again, he could see it. There was a fissure in the Axis's barrier; something human-sized and almost imperceptible.
Someone… Had broken into the Axis.
[The Forbbiden Area]