Chapter 2 Holy Arsenal

"Brother, why are we packing things?"

Calixte's mind is in confusion as she saw his brother packs their things, As Axle see his little sister on the front door, he kneels on his one leg to her as he said something to her convincingly.

"We moving to another neighborhood, it is not safe here after we found out that my friend is a monster, and I have to find another place to work, earn money until you graduate in college and most important to keep you safe. Don't worry, you will see your friends and classmates to your school. okay?"

She quickly nods her head as she trusts her brother unconditionally.

"If you find another work, where? When will you leave? Are you leaving me alone?

Calixte couldn't hold her tears in front of her brother as if he will abandon her completely.

"I'll find a work that make huge money, and sent it you every month, use it wisely. I'll contact you once in a while, and do not worry too much, you're my only family that I had and I'll never leave you, and most of all, protect you until my final breath"

He hugs her sister knowing that they will not see each other for a while.

As they pack their things and ready to leave their old house, they went straight to the police station and met Officer Jones.

Officer Jones smirks at Axle's face as he walks towards to the siblings.

"At last, I finally saw your face Mister Thie-"

Axle looks at Police Officer Jones' eyes straight pointing out not to say his identity outloud especially in front of his sister that she doesn't know about it. Then Police Officer Jones immediately stops as he introduced himself to Calixte politely.

"Hello Calixte, my name is Police Officer Jones, you can call me Mr. Jones."

Axle kneels on his one leg to his sister and say something to her new house.

"This is Officer Jones, he is a policeman, you will be living from now on to his house together with his mother, since he is unmarried person, he will treat you as his younger sister or even a daughter. He is a nice person, but, if he tries to harm, you can call me this phone but I doubt he won't. It's brand new and it is also a gift to your birthday today. Happy birthday".

A sudden drop of tear coming out of Calixte's eyes as she hugs her brother knowing that they will not see each other for a while.

"Thank you so much kuya (brother), please be careful on finding a new job, please pray every night. I love you so much".

"Officer Jones, please protect my sister and teach her to be a good person in all terms. I'll send you money not just her, but also for you and your mother."

"No need, just support your sister in her education, I'll take care of the rest."

Officer Jones shows a sign of trust To Axle that he can handle and guide his sister carefully.

Axle opens in eyes as he realizes that it's all a just dream, he is in a car together with Jason Thorne who is the driver in it.

"You finally awake after a couple hours of sleep. How's your head?"

Axle replied,

"Pretty much hurt but I'm okay, just lacking of sleep that's all."

Axle remembers their conversation with Thorne,

"Listen, I know, you don't know me, but I can help you, and help your sister to escape poverty, just come with me and I'll take care everything."

As Jason convinces Axle to trust him even though they haven't met each other.

"Who are you? And what are you doing to us?"

Axle gave him cold eyes after his tragic event with his bestfriend and the future of his sister.

"I can give you huge amount of money every month if you will join us. I saw they way you escaped to that "monster" and the way you –"

Axle clenches its fists ready to punch Thorne's face but Thorne dodged it and grab Axle's one leg pulling it and made Axle stumble and he saw a sharp bayonet pointing closely to his eye.

"Let me finish my sentence first kid."

Axle spits Thorne and say something that made Axle rage.

"Don't you ever call my friend a monster, he is my only companion, the one who understands me and my situation right now. If you come here to insult him, I'm going to spill your guts after what you said to him."

Jason Thorne calmly replied,

"That friend of yours, he kills a lot of people and owns a meat stand that sells human flesh secretly especially his closest friend which is you. I am deeply sorry for your loss, but this is reality, he nearly killed you if he can't control his human side when he is in his true form. And I thank him because in the end he saved a one person even though he is ready to consume you because you are his bestfriend. That's why I'm here to convince you to join us and kill the one who turned you friend in that kind of monstrosity."

Jason let Axle go help him up,

"Give me time to think"

Jason sits on a chair patiently waiting for Axle's reply as he kneeling to the cross that is right on the table of the clinic.

As Axle prays,

"Dear Lord, I know that I don't trust this person but if I risk my life and trust to join him to eliminate those creatures, all my faith will be in your hands, please give me a sign."

They heard a sudden voice coming out of the clinic. They saw a news reporter asking if Axle gave statement of how he killed the so called "engkanto". Axle looks at Thorne, nodding, Thorne nods back as if he already knew his response.

"The victim does not want the media right now, he hasn't comprehend of what happened to him after that incident, please give him time to cease his trauma"

Jason close the clinic's door and Axle asks him.

"When do we leave?"

Jason replied,

"You really are the type of person that I need"

As they drive to Jason's headquarters, Axle asks him politely,

"May I know who are you? What is your organization? How do you know all these things?"

Jason replied to him while driving,

"I am Jason Thorne, a Holy Arsenal rank officer, our mission is to eliminate and purify all those unsightly engkantoes and find the culprit of all of this, we are ordained by the Pope itself in the Vatican City. In our country, only the president knows of our existence, we do the job extrasensory, extrajudicial, extraordinary that's why we never be caught by the authorities. In terms of money, don't worry, every week the government and the Pope gave us budget on our food, shelter, weapons, safe houses others. And once you become a member, even when you are in training you still get monthly salary. And every mission that the higher up that has been assigned to you, and every time you completed it, you will go to one of the safehouses where will you be treated your wounds, if any, good accommodation and your eye will be checked by the albularyo. The albularyos are quack doctors who heals people using herbs and traditional practices such as hilot or massage. The albularyos had a supernatural powers that can heal a patient that modern medicine does not provide. Aside from practicing folk medicine, the albularyo is also alleged to practice black magic to purify or curse people. If they looked into your eye and truly you fought one of those monstrosities, they will give you rewards depending on the type of monster and how hardly to kill it."

Axle calmly collects every bit of information coming of Jason's mouth and asks him again.

"What do you call a creature that my friend turned into?"

Jason replied to him with a sign of warning,

"What you encountered is called aswang. Aswang are an aggressive monsters that can run fast as a motorcycle, climb even the slippery walls with no cracks or dents, can smell you even kilometers away and can shapeshift into a dog or a pig. There are a different types of aswang with a different abilities and features. But later on your training, I'll teach you everything about them.

Axle sighs in silence as he sits on the back of the car, collects every information that Jason said. He looks in the sky asking himself is his sister is okay. Constantly thinking, what will be their training like, could I survive even in training? Would I ever see my sister again? How many of those monsters out there?

As they arrived in the destination, he only sees an old and abandoned shed. Axle asks him weirdly,

"Is this a joke? It took us 9 hours to get your so - called headquarters and this is I only get? A god forsaken shed? Are you going to bang me or something? Are you gay?

Little did Axle not know is Jason is easily hot tempered so he quickly draws his bayonet and start looking at him ready to "kill" him.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Calm down I was just kidding, please put the weapon back to your weapon holster okay. Pretty please."

Jason puts his bayonet back and they continue walking to the shed.

As Jason opens the shed, he saw a black metal door, once they are inside, Axle thought it was just a simple shed it is actually an elevator that leads down to the headquarters itself.

Axle couldn't believe his eyes as he sees a lot people working as they go down to the elevator. Holy Arsenal headquarters consist of three major building, The Holy Arsenal Luzon Headquarters, The Visayas Holy Arsenal Headquarters and the Mindanao Holy Arsenal Headquarters. Right now, Axle is now in Luzon Headquarters ready for his one of a hell training that he will experience.

As they wait to the medical room to examine his physical and health condition, he asks Jason,

"Why me?"

Jason stops lighting in cigarette and looks at him and replied honestly.

"I saw the way you outrun your friend and how you killed him, I recognize your physical strength, stamina and mental endurance and your tragic night. I choose you because you have the same similarities with my last comrade. He killed mercilessly by a group of angry mobs who they though that he is an aswang. Instead fighting back, he stands firmly and said "I am not one of those creatures, please wait until sunrise". Instead of believing him, rage flowing to their bloodstream, they stab him with a pitchfork, machete, farming sickle throwing rocks at him but my comrade didn't fight back. I was too late to save him convince people because me and my other agents scattered to the woods hunting the one who's behind to my one and only friend's suffering. I will never forgive him, as long as I'm alive, I will hunt down to the ends of earth.

Axle saw Jason's hands clenching and shaking, he feels that he shows regret and revenge toward to that enemy.

Jason makes a promise to Axle,

"I promise, you and your sister will be having a peaceful life if we will kill the sole mastermind of this tragic that we experienced and make revenge to the people who lost their loved ones. I won't let the same happen again to you, to my friend and your friend will not die in vain.

Axle smiles and unconditionally, he gave all his trust to Jason Thorne as his mentor and comrade at the same time.

As Jason guide Axle to his room, before he go inside, he gave his keys and said something interesting.

"Axle, your training will be in next day so tomorrow, I will show you the whole headquarters, it's different rooms, different entrances and exits, the dos and donts. It doesn't have a guide map within its walls so if one day the enemies will invade this place, you and they will know where will they be headed to. So keep observing to the places I show you.

Axle replied,

"Yes sir, got it."

Jason smirks and pat his head,

"I know you're tired, get some rest."

Axle enters his room straight to his bed, but he couldn't sleep. He takes his phone and look at the galleries, a collection of pictures of his friend, knowing that he will never see him again. Axle asks himself,

"Why did you become one of them? Who did this to you? If I knew that you a monster already, I should've protect you. I'm really sorry Amir, please be at peace. I promise, I will avenge you."

Axle looks around his gallery, he saw his sister in his pictures, hoping that she is okay with her new home and parents. Axle suddenly sleeps due to his tiredness.

The day that the two will be having a tour to headquarters. Jason explains Axle every room they go through. They see the information room through the window where Jason explains they every member and agent that joins here will have their identity be erased in existence even Axle. They will never mention their names if they are not a member even an agent as well. Instead they will keep deny that the person that they didn't know him or her or never seen them in their life.

Jason explains that the person is the member or agent in the headquarters is they have one gold ring in case they die, the will use the ring as a payment to the morgue or cremation.

Next they go through to the training and they have two rooms, the training room for the new recruits and special training room for selected recruits. Axle will be directed in the special training room as Jason approves his request to the D5 Council, the highest rank in organization. Next they move to the training ground consists of track and field course, a large swimming pool, a gym, firing range, and a dark training ground which covers a black metal which they will use their senses, instinct and fighting abilities in the dark since those most of the creatures are active and aggressive in the dark.

They moved to a certain room and go inside to a classroom where they will be taught of how the organization works, how ranking officers work, history of the Holy Arsenal, the existence of anomalous creatures, how to kill them and prevent from attacking from people. And of course they have the entertainment room where you can watch movies you like, play games on computer or consoles with internet, read some books, or talk with other recruits, members or even agents as well.

Next is they walked the hallway to the weapons room, as Jason explains the weapons room, Axle saw a weapon that completely caught off his eyes.

"Axle, what's wrong?"

Axle replied,

"I think I want that weapon.

Jason asks him with confusion,

"Why? Is it fancy to you?"

He replied,

"As if he wants me to become his weapon"

Jason looks at him and calls to the weapons room officer,

"Axle wait here"

As the weapons room officer and Jason talks, Axle wanders around and he sees a front door at the end of the wall. Confused he opens it, he saw a light flashing in his eyes, as his eyes cleared, he saw a garden, like a peaceful place to live with, he said, As he wanders around he saw a cemetery, where their full names is inscribed, neither date of birth nor the date of death in carved in tombstone as well as their address. Jason sees him, and explains that every member or agent that are killed by natural causes of death on a mission, if they recover them, they will put them in this graveyard as our appreciation of their hard work and dedication to this organization.

Jason talks Axle about his weapon, he said,

"About your weapon, you will get the weapon if you will pass the training and use it to your missions."

"Now I'm motivated."

Axle is now ready to his training and get that weapon, but his stomach growls, hungry.

Jason laughs,

"Okay okay, let's go to the cafeteria"

As they eat, Jason explains that there are certain rooms that is prohibited, one of those is D5 council rooms, the high rank officers rooms, and archives room where the relics and document from the past is well hidden and preserved.

As the night passes, Axle goes into his room, he couldn't sleep, instead, he do push ups, practice shadow boxing, do some stretches, asks himself.

"I think I should go to the track and field course to regain my stamina."

He wears his t-shirt and jogging pants and went to the field.

"No one is here, guess it's okay to run, it's free anyway hahahahahaha!"

Little didn't everyone know that Axle is always laughing even in the smallest things.

He spent 4 hours sprinting, push ups, pull ups, stretching just to regain his usual strength while he is in the city. As he bathed himself in sweat, he rests and thinks he should go to the entertainment room to please himself.

There, he found a computer search in viewtube some videos that he would discover that would help his training and fighting experience. He saw something interesting,

"Wow, I think this would help in my training, I can use this."

He saved that video on to the computer and he makes a schedule during his training, every night after his training, he goes to the entertainment room watched it and how does it apply to himself and practice to the training room.

As Axle finally feels sleepy, he said to himself.

"Get ready Axle, time go get real tomorrow."