Town of Plains

Axel was taken aback. It was precisely his birthday today and yet he completely forgot about it. "Thanks, I can't even remember the time when I was still exited for my birthday" Axel said gratefully at Alice.

"Here" Alice shoved the basket on Axel. "Be a gentleman and help me carry these goods to my mom" Alice added and turn around to start walking. Axel followed behind her back as they pass by the crowd of people and the stalls of merchant with many different merchandise on display.

The town had a traffic of crowd that is just about the right amount for a country side town. Even though the every streets and alleyways are bustling with noise and some people minding their own business, Axel look up the sky and shake his head twice before letting out a sigh.

The festival is only a way to make the people forget the dullness of the whole town. Being a town in the countryside, they are the most vulnerable in any case of a Beastling Horde attacks.

The whole town stretch for about ten kilometers in radius. Most of the town's territory are made up of wide stretch plains with occassional trees to be spotted in sight. These plains are the main source of the town's name and the people living in it doesn't seemed to care much about it.

"Just a few more years and I will surely leave this dull town" Axel murmured to himself. Without him knowing, Alice, who was originally walking in front of him is now beside him.

Alice smiled once again "I purposely slow my speed down to talk to you, and I think that it would be stupid to just leave the town where you've grown." she then reach for Axel's ear and twist it enough to make it red as she let it go. "That maybe the case, however since our childhood me and my brother always felt like an outcast in this town. Like there is no one who cared about what happens to us and everybody just go and live with their plain and dull life" Axel justified.

Alice turns around and observe the people around the two of them. The bright smile on her lips slowly drop and her eyes had agreed sadly on Axel's previous statement.

As if the present situation never existed, Alice bright smile appeared once again. "Well, both you and Alexander still have me" she proudly declared. Axel was stunned and a thankful emotion welled up of his face. "Come on lets go inside, your mother might be looking for you right now" Axel urge Alice as the two of them stopped exactly in front of a shop on their right side.

The sign "Jones' Forging and General Merchandise" was displayed unsuspiciously. Most of the customers going in and out only had basic goods with them. As the two enters the shop, one can see a shelf with a different design of weapons and equipment that are mostly use for battle.

Alice and Axel went straight up to the counter and pause. Only the sound of heavy foosteps and the creaking wood flooring can be heard. A woman was comming from the direction near the storage room which exactly the forging room is. The woman was not even a bit covered in sweat and even hear clothing were spotless of dirt. She wiped her nonexistence sweat from her forehead out of habit as she look at the two.

"Well would you look at that? Axel why are you in your uniform?" the woman laugh and her hand reach for something from her back. It was a sheated heavy sword that she surprisingly carry with one hand.

If other people were to see this scene, they would probably have their eyes popping out of their sockets. However Alice and Axel could only bitterly smile. According to the rumors around; Alice's mother, Alicia was a rising prodigy in her early teens. However due to some unknown reason, her cultivation was crippled before she even enter the Physique Refinement Tier.

Even so her strenght was still above those of what ordinary people had. Axel smiled and waves his hands "Hey, Aunty Alicia this has a rea—" before he could even finish his greetings a tremendous force made Axel slip on the floor.

Unknowingly Alice grab the basket on his hand which is exactly where the force came from. She walk towards Alicia and place the basket on the table counter.

"Obviously Axel here had once again experience a short term memory loss" Alice giggle.

Alicia glance at Axel who was scratching his butt after he slip on the floor. "I'll go and get some cookies" Alicia smiled and proceed towards another door behind the merchandise.

While Axel was still scratching Alice stretch out her hand to help him up. "Here let me help you" she smiled.

Axel let out a sigh and grab her hand with his other arm which isn't busy. "Oh right, is Alexander at the town square?" He asked Alice.

Meanwhile Alice shrugged and gazed outside before turning to Axel. "I'm not really quite sure since I haven't made a trip around that part, maybe we could check later" she answered indifferently as she carefully unloads the basket.

***

After having a few bites of cookies, the pair went straight for the town square. To avoid the crowd of people the two of them took a passage of alleyway after alleyway.

If a foreign individual was with them its was a hundred percent sure that the erson would feel sick and later throw up due to the alleyways that seemingly a maze. The pair made their way out and a wide stretch of field meets them.

A small part of the land was fields of farms with lots of different kinds of plants and herbs being grow by farmers. Axel and Alice walk along side the irrigation in between the residential area and the crops area.

After a few minutes of walking, the noise of people lessen as it indicates that they had already pass by the market area. The pir walk for another five minutes before they enter the maze or rather the alleyway once again.

After passing left and right by who knows how many times that would make one foreign individual throw up. Axel and Alice made thier way out and came out of a much lesser crowd of people and a wider area.

In the middles of the town square is a group of people, either setting up the stage itself or rehearsing for an act to be played at twilight.

Alice place her hand above her eyes and begins searching for Alexander. Axel also starts to look around but unlike Alice, he didn't place his hand above his eyes so that other people won't think he is a weirdo.

After narrowing spending a few minutes lokking around, the two of them nfortunately couldn't find Alexander. They even went to ask the rehearsing performers but to their disappoinment Alexander was also missing.

They sit at a near bench and blew out a sigh. Axel look above the skies "Hey Alice, want to get something to drink?" he asked Alice as his mind slowly drown into a different scenery that seems to be an illusion.

Just as he was about to be pull over the scenery someone stood behind the two of them. "What are u two doing dating in front of the stage?" the voice of a young man was heard behind the pair.

Alice and Axel turned around to face the young man who seems to be around fourteen years old. "How are you doing little Alex?" Alice greets with a bright smile.

Alexander nods at Alice and force a smile that twitch a few times. "I'm doing fine and it's Alexander not little Alex anymore" Alexander facepalmed.

"So where have you been?" Axel asked as he face Alexander. A vein pop out from Axel's head as if he was prepared to hit Alexander's head anymoment.

Alexander snorted "Seeing that you are still asleep I decided not to wake you up since it was a holiday, but I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to wear a school uniform" he answered nonchalantly.

Pa!

A fist landed on Alexander's head.

He immediately holds his head in pain and glare at Axel. "You idiot! I know that it was you who purposely hangged my uniform in front of my bed!" Axel scolds his brother.

"Ppfftt" Alice giggles seeing the two of them in a squabble. 'Cough cough' she straighten her posture while still holding back the laughter insude her. "That's enough both of you" she ordered after exhaling out her held laughter.

Alice flicks the forehead of both Axel and Alexander. "You can argue later, Alexander still have to prepare for the act in twilight" she smiled once again.

Axel shrug and grab Alice's hand and pulls her up. "In any case she's right, we'll see you later Alexander" The pair bids their farewell at Alexander.

'Damn lovebirds' Alexander whispered to himself before smiling and walk back to the rehearsing group.