CHAPTER 32

As “Axis’s” reinforcements slowly closed in, he lowered his guard while Seraf and the others’ guards had risen. It was the one circumstance that Vilda so desperately wanted to avoid, not just for her own sake, but for Axis’s as well; she didn’t want him trying to kill himself in battle again, even if he would have been successful at eliminating all of the enemies in the process. Seraf must have thought something similar, as he stepped up towards the party of knights and Slayers while motioning for the rest of them to back away.

“Fall back,” he directed them, “return to Sanctum.”

“Hold on!” Vilda called out to him in protest. “Don’t be foolish! We can’t leave you to face them alone! You’ll get overrun for sure!”

While Vilda argued, Waldhart dismounted from his steed, approaching as if to collect his spear and continue the assault.

“Leave now!” Seraf warned strictly. “You must survive, all of you!”

“But…!”

“No buts! Go!”

Even Axis was concerned with how serious Seraf was then, when just earlier he had been so calm even during his intense battle with the Slayer. He had already seen the Head Captain in action against the Demon Chernos, so he knew the opponent was no pushover, but after seeing what Seraf had accomplished, he realized that he had only witnessed the surface level of what the Commander of the Slayers was capable of.

“There’s no need for such commotion.”

Yet, Zeke Waldhart said those words, and just as everyone turned towards him in their confusion, he turned back and swung a fist towards “Axis,” punching with enough force to make him fall back as his helmet was knocked off.

“Huh?!” Everyone had the same reaction to the strange event that had occurred.

After staggering back to his feet, “Axis” kept a hand to his face as he reeled, clearly because he was still shaken up by the sudden attack, but it also seemed as if he was trying to hide his face, as one of his eyes, dark brown, almost black-colored, glared at Waldhart between his fingers.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“I’m disciplining a subordinate, obviously.”

“While the enemies are right there?!”

“I don’t have the attentiveness for much else right now, for I see that correcting your behavior is my biggest priority at the moment.”

Seraf noticed the opportunity that had just opened up for them and wasted no time taking it.

“Come on. Let’s get out, while we can.”

Saying that, he turned and started walking in the direction he originally entered the scene from. Axis shrugged and followed him, prompting Vilda to follow behind as well. Vena, however, stayed behind for a bit, examining the horses the cavalry rode in on, and bit her bottom lip in vexation before she finally turned away to join the others.

They walked, not “ran,” away from the area in a hurry, following Seraf as they were back onto the path towards Sanctum. Axis still had a lot of questions for Seraf and Vilda both, but he could tell that both of the Elves were weary from both the lack of sleep and the recent encounter. Seraf still seemed well rested, so Axis focused on him, but of course, once again, his questions were spiteful ones at first.

“So, how were you able to tell so easily that guy wasn’t ‘Axis Demkil,’ but doubted that I was? Did you think that I was taken over by Nexus, like everyone else?”

“Not exactly,” Seraf answered as he kept facing forward, while quickly scanning the surroundings as he moved, remaining vigilant. “It’s just that… You look different, younger than expected.”

“Well, they do call me the ‘Cursed Child,’ don’t they?”

“I never agreed, with that name…”

“Uh-huh… Also, why do you talk like that, using only two or three words at a time?”

“It is… Difficult to explain…”

“Oh yeah? Try it anyway.”

Vilda noticed Seraf’s strained expression, and internally complimented his patience while calling out to Axis.

“Won’t you leave him be for now, Axis? You’re giving him a hard time with your questions, you know. He can’t pay attention to you while escorting us when enemies are still nearby. Just save the rest of your questions for when we reach Sanctum, alright?”

Axis turned towards her with a sour expression.

“Boo!”

She then proceeded to lose her patience, as her veins suddenly popped on her forehead.

“What do you mean ‘boo,’ you little punk?!”

“You’ll pass out if you exert so much energy so needlessly…” Vena chimed in to warn Vilda.

Axis was about to ignore Vilda’s request and continue to ask Seraf questions, but then he heard a sudden loud ringing in his ears, causing him to reflexively cover them with his hands, but to no avail.

“Ah! What the hell…?!”

“Axis…?!”

The voices calling out to Axis in concern were drowned out by the ringing, until an all too familiar voice suddenly took its place.

You still wish to continue with this farce? Your foolishness knows no bounds…

Oh, for fuck’s sake! Axis cursed internally towards the voice of Nexus plaguing his mind once again. Why are you bothering me this time?!

I must continue to disturb you, until you’ve finally understood your place. Perhaps I should show you again, the inevitable future of this world…

Once again, the world slowed to a near halt before the scene of the forest and his company was pulled away, as if they were sucked into a void. What replaced that scene could only be described as hell on Eva; the animals and people were all reduced to bones, every city was in ruins, the sky was torn to shreds, and the earth was slowly but surely falling apart as the seas drowned them in their rage. This was a scene that Axis Demkil had seen many times before, a scene that kept appearing in his nightmares, right along with the scene of his mother’s death. It was a vision of the end of the world.

And… Axis began to inquire of Nexus, why do I have to see this again?

This is the ending that awaits Humankind, Nexus answered. No, it’s the ‘Dead End’ of all living beings. However, just like the Dawn of Humanity, a new beginning can arise from such ruin. A new age, where the beings of tomorrow won’t fall into the same endless cycles of today. A new race, one that surpasses Humanity.

You really hate Humans, don’t you?

And you as well, no? After all, you only wish to understand them so that you may properly justify that hatred. Yet, there is no need; after all, it has already been decided that you are the ‘Antagonist…’

“Axis!”

He blinked upon hearing Vilda’s voice calling his name, and the scene before him returned to what it was before, except that the other three members of his party crowded around him in concern for his wellbeing, with Seraf crouching down in front of him to be at eye level.

“Oh man…” Axis attempted to dismiss what had just occurred, “I guess the lack of sleep really got to me for a minute there. No worries though, we can keep going…”

However, Seraf gently grabbed Axis by his shoulders, his amber eyes looking into Axis’s grey eyes seriously.

“W-what is it?” Axis stammered, expecting a pressure-filled interrogation.

“Did you see it?”

Yet, the question that Seraf asked was not expected, even by the Elves as they looked at him quizzically along with Axis.

“Um…?” Axis was at a loss, unsure of what Seraf could have been referring to. “All I saw was a hallucination of the end of the world. It isn’t the first time I had such a nightmare… Well, it’s the first time I experienced it while awake, but…”

Then, as if the recent experience hadn’t been strange enough, Seraf suddenly kneeled before Axis respectfully.

“What the hell are you doing now?!”

Seraf bowed his head as he spoke to Axis much differently than he had before.

“Please forgive me for my rudeness up until now, Your Highness. I should never have doubted you. You truly are Axis Demkil, the Prince of Slayers.”