2 Family

The night was already dark and cold. The sounds of crickets and chirping birds was all that could be heard.

These sounds were slowly interrupted by sound of an engine. Axel's ship was landing. The spaceship's hatch opened up and the Axel and his butler went out.

Suddenly, loud footsteps could be heard approaching them at full speed. They both ignored these as they expressionlessly walked.

As they advanced forward, soldiers in military uniforms lined up paving a long straight line.

Whenever they passed a soldier, the soldier would stand straight and bash his fist on his heart.

This continued on until they reached a giant mansion. The butler opened the door for Axel and he went right through it.

"The Master requires your immediate presence in the dining room. They should have already started their meal."

Axel nodded to him and hurried to the dining room. Disobeying orders from his father was the last thing he wanted to do.

He arrived at the big beautiful wooden door of the dining room. He slightly knocked it twice and waited patiently.

A strong yet calm voice could be heard through the door. "Enter"

Axel opened the door and saw that his younger sister and father has already started eating. They were sitting on a normal sized triangle shaped table. They both sat on one side of it.

Only the sound of the door that Axel opened and close echoed throughout the dining room. The two that were eating neither told anything by his arrival.

Axel didn't really mind that. He was already used to this. He just casually headed to the last side of the triangular table and took his seat.

His food was already on the table so he immediately started to eat. Total silence. It was like only the sounds of forks and spoons hitting the plates were the ones that were conversing.

Only when Axel's little sister finished her meal did she interrupt the awkward atmosphere.

"I heard you had some 'problems' during your trip till here brother."

Axel put down his spoon and answered her.

"That's right. We were harassed periodically by this Base's rebels. I wonder where these people got such firearms that could match ours."

He sighted when he recalled the days and nights he passed without any rest. His gun and sword never left him back then.

Without him knowing it, his father saw him sight earlier. This made him slightly frown. His meal was also finished so he put down his spoon.

His father Baston coldly looked at him straight into his eyes. Axel only kept his gaze for some seconds before lowering it down, pretending to look at his meal.

"If that mere 'harassing' is what makes you tired then you should forget that you bear the Nightmare family's name."

Axel replied him with a neutral voice. The voice he used to speak with him everyday.

"Yes Father."

Baston wiped his hands with a cloth and threw it on the table. He stood up and went towards the door.

He looked behind and looked at both of his children before getting out.

"Both of you, tomorrow morning in the training field."

He walked out and closed the door.

The two siblings only then looked at each other when his footsteps were no longer heard along the corridors. She stood up, took her chair and sad down near him.

She smiled at Axel but he just kept on slowly eating.

"Bad mood?"

"...."

Axel didn't answer her at all. In fact, he didn't even react to anything she did.

She chuckled seeing her older brother's attitude. She raised her hand and all the food on his plate splashed onto his face.

If someone were to see what just happened, they would have really freaked out. This little girl just affected her surroundings using the Waves! Of course, only people that didn't know about the Nightmare's monster girl would have such reaction.

Axel lazily wiped his face and finally decided to face his little sister.

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now Lily."

Lily laughed and helped him wipe his face.

"Finally decided to talk mighty Sergeant Axel!"

Hearing her, he instinctually looked at the sergeant insignia on his sleeve. When his gaze returned to Lily, she already had wrapped box in her hands.

"Congratulations!"

The box in her palms wildly shot towards his face. Axel casually caught it and examined it for a while.

He felt really emotional right now but his facial expression didn't change at all. He carefully unwrapped the bow.

"You didn't really have to warp it up you know."

"You should be happy I gave you a gift!" She replied him.

He opened the box and inside was a black chevalier ring with the picture of a grimacing dark wolf on it, the Nightmare's insignia.

Axel was speechles. He didn't really care about what she gave him. It was the first time someone ever told him 'Congratulations'. It was the first time someone ever gifted him something other than the sword he was rewarded.

Even his own father didn't ever mention a word about his promotion to Sergeant.

Even thought Axel didn't show it externally, Lily knew he was happy.

He put the ring on his right hand's middle finger on and contemplated it.

"You're not going to ask for it's use?"Lily jokingly asked seeing Axel just staring at it.

"It has an use?!" He looked at her doubtfully.

"Will I ever give my dear brother a ring just for decoration?! No! never!" She crossed her hands together as she arrogantly bragged.

"But still...this ring was really hard to get!"

Axel looked at her waiting for the reason why it was so.

"This is made from a very rare metal that was recently found! I had to fight for it to get it! The metal could emit a gravitational force when in contact with the Waves. This can make you affect your surroundings even if you can't do so with your Waves! Its range and its strength depends on your waves. Try it out!"

Axel opened his right palm and put it above his plate. The rest of his food floated and splashed on Lily's face.

"Revenge" He silently muttered.

Axel remained expressionless during the whole process.

Out of rage, Lily was about to also use her powers to 'splash him' but realized that there was no more food.

They stared at each other for a while. Lily slowly started to laugh while Axel silently passed her another tissue for wiping her face.

Only when her face was clean did he continued talking to her.

"Thank you Lily."

That was only a short sentence but the emotions and feelings it gives is endless. They conversed for a little longer but had to stop because they still have to go to sleep.

"You should rest now Axel. I know you had it hard. For tomorrow, prepare yourself. You know what awaits you."

She slowly walked to the door. Just like her dad, she looked back and stared at Axel.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Happy Birthday Axel. I would have liked to give you a cake but I spent years of economy for that ring."

Lily closed the door and headed towards he room.

After a while, Axel finally stood up and also headed to his room.

He didn't immediately sleep but opened the window first. He liked taking fresh air before going to sleep.

He looked out and contemplated the view. Of course, he was looking at the stars. There was nothing to look at the things surrounding the mansion.

The place shouldn't even be called a mansion. It should be called a military camp.

The place was surrounded by longs electric fences with patrols constantly moving around. Many giant tents and small tents were orderly erected near the mansions.

There were many other military infrastructure around and it was nothing beautiful at all. If Axel were to describe it, he would call it neutral.

Axel took way his gaze from the neutral camp and looked upwards where the stars shined brightly.

He raised his right hand where the ring was placed. He slightly smiled before closing the window and going back to bed.

As usual he put his swords right next to him and closed his eyes.

Strangely, even though his eyes were closed, it felt as if they were still opened. He slowly opened his eyelids.

Axel found this very strange. This was the first time this ever happened to him. Is it because of the surge of emotions?

He closed his eyes again and the same thing happened. It was like he could see yet he couldn't...just like the skin, feeling yet there was nothing to touch.

He opened his eyes again to stop this strange feeling but he found out that he couldn't! He tried opening them but nothing happened. He couldn't even move an inch of his body. It was like he was paralyzed.

Not only that, even his eyes started feeling great pain as if thousands of needles poked through each of them.

The pain was so unbearable that he ended up fainting.