Chapter 22 - See You Soon : Part 3

Axel's feeling was... complicated.

Well, of course it would be complicated considering the fact that he literally had to work with his bully just to get thrown into a weird mirror and met with the demon version of his family.

But anyway, that was not important for now.

What important was... whatever the hell was happening in front of him right now.

Adreanna was flying, circling the room with a full-speed as the enemies below her tried to shoot frantically. Her black hair that Axel proudly braided earlier waved around behind her.

In this tight situation, somehow, the 19-year-old demon still looked as emotionless as ever. The flat look on her pretty face was deadly, yet it was so beautiful as the light tried to catch her being.

There was a faint dark glint in her red eyes as she fastened her speed. The black porcelain wings spread even more. Then, she released a rain full of sharp porcelain feathers to the enemies. The demons below her were screaming their chords off.

One by one, they fell down to the floor with more than ten feathers on their body, making them bled to death. They took a final gasp of air when Adreanna finally stopped.

Axel gaped at the sight, blue eyes watching in amusement to his sister. Though, he still grimaced a little at the blood bath that she just caused.

Her blood color eyes caught Axel's ocean ones. There was a moment of silence between them before she nodded at him and took off to handle more enemies again.

A wave of red lights came from the corner of the room like a strong typhoon, making Axel's fluffy hair fall into a mess. Axel blinked as he tried to understand what was happening.

He then shook his head, trying to at least remove some of his hair that covered his eyes. He looked up to see people rising from the ground like some kind of zombie. The people were so pale, white eyes empty and mindless.

He staggered back a little, thinking that they would attack him. His heartbeat fastened as every single of the undead turned their eyes to him.

He brought his hand to a fist when the undead ran to him. They were so silent, only the sound of their footsteps was in the air.

He was ready to attack them but quickly stopped when he noticed that they were not aiming for him.

They were running past him, attacking the demons that had just arrived right behind Axel. It became a battlefield right after and Axel was confused, amused, and contemplating what he should do at the same time.

"Don't worry, they won't hurt you, they are your father's." A voice suddenly came from behind, causing the boy to jump.

He calmed himself down when he noticed it was demon Kiaran that was talking. His pseudo brother put a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him that everything was alright.

Though Axel felt kind of bad that he did not help the demon version of his family at all. They were trying to help him cross the mirror to his world, yet he just stood here, watching them work.

He hesitantly glanced at the winged demon beside him. Biting his lips, he decided to ask Kiaran. "I'll help-"

"No, no." Kiaran cooed, cupping both Axel's cheeks. The youngest blinked sheepishly at the older ones. "Let your sister and father do it for you, you don't have to kill. We'll protect you."

Axel nodded a little. The demon version of his family was pretty overprotective. They were acting weird sometimes, but he often overlooked it since they were so kind.

They even agreed to help him go to this building that he believed was a way for him to come home. He was about to go alone but they were pretty persistent to come along.

Okay, let's rewind a little, shall we?

Axel had just finished braiding Adreanna's pretty hair when the thought came into his mind. He remembered the second mission from the scientist that Kiaran told him to do. The mission where he and Kiaran had to retrieve the second black arrow.

He saw the black roots mirror that day, the first time where he found out about the DM-2 project. If the mirror existed in that room, that meant he just had to try to check the counterpart of the building in this world.

He might have found a way out.

Well, he knew that technically it might not work since he and Kiaran took the black arrow from the mirror already, but he just had to try.

It was his only hope.

"There you are, we were searching for you two."

Adreanna and Axel snapped their head toward Cain at the same time. Kiaran was leaning on the wall behind his father, furrowing his eyes at Axel's hand who was holding Adreanna's finished braid.

Axel quickly bowed his head a little, showing his polite smile at his pseudo father. "Ah, Adreanna asked me to-"

"He wanted to braid my hair, stop looking at me like that," Adreanna stated coldly toward Kiaran who was smiling ear to ear annoyingly at her.

"Uh-huh. I believe you my dear sister, don't worry about it." His melodic voice taunted her even more as he walked closer to Axel. Axel was looking back and forth between the two siblings dumbfoundedly.

Kiaran arrived in front of Axel and squatted in front of him. The demon smiled sweetly at him before ruffling his hair.

"I told you before, your sister is so bad at emotions, she has a big ego you see." He whispered playfully to Axel, making sure Adreanna heard what he said to the human as he stole a glance at her.

Axel wanted to say how she was technically not his sister but he quickly kept his mouth shut when a porcelain feather flew toward Kiaran. Axel widened his eyes when the feather almost hit Kiaran's head.

He breathed in relief when Kiaran casually jerked back, letting the feather end up on the wall. Axel glanced worriedly between Adreanna and Kiaran before finally stopping at Kiaran's roguish face.

Despite how the demon almost died, he widened his smile even more. "See? Big ego just like I said."

Adreanna's face twitched a little. She fluttered open her wings and got ready to throw another feather. Though she was quickly stopped by his father.

"Alright, that's enough you two," Cain commanded with a stern voice. Though his voice did not have any venom in it.

Adreanna quickly looked the other way. Axel would think she was sulking if not for her impassive face.

Kiaran on the other hand cackled almost madly. Red eyes full of mischieve as he watched Adreanna 'sulk'. Cain sighed at the two of them and put a hand on his face in defeat.

Axel stood there, trying hard to push away the feeling of wishing that his family was like this.

With the light atmosphere surrounding the four of them, Axel decided this was the right time to talk about his plan to them.

"Oh right, guys. I think- I think I find a way to go home." With a little hesitation, Axel decided to speak up.

There was a beat of silence before the air suddenly changed between them.

Cain's face stiffened while Kiaran's went dark. Adreanna snapped her neck toward Axel and was staring at him with an unexplained look.

Cain quickly cleared his throat upon noticing Axel's discomfort toward them. "Oh really? Care to tell us your plan, son?"

And that was how Axel stood beside demon Kiaran in the identical building that had a black roots mirror with demon Adreanna and demon Cain fighting the guards in this place.

He vaguely wondered, when those demon guards died, did the human guards on the other side of the mirror die too?

He was too caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice a demon guard that threw an iron arrow at him.

The iron arrow went through the sky, aiming at Axel at a fast speed. As if the time had slowed down, Kiaran's wing fluttered open, shielding Axel as he grasped the boy's back onto his chest protectively.

The arrow bounced from Kiaran's black wings and fell on the floor with a loud clank. Kiaran quickly checked on Axel, looking at his very being with red frantic eyes, trying to make sure the kid was alright.

Axel stood in shock before trying to tell Kiaran that he was alright.

The demon who tried to shoot them came from behind, raising a dagger in his hand as he tried to aim at Kiaran's neck.

Though, Kiaran quickly noticed that. He spun around to face the man and jerked back. He looked back for a second to make sure Axel stayed behind him. His red eyes were glowering in anger, the air around them became thick as the enemy faced each other.

He opened his mouth to command the enemy to stop with his manipulation power. The wind blew his black hair as the anarchist felt the power building up in his throat.

But no words came out from Kiaran's mouth when Axel suddenly leaped out from behind, doing a forward roll before kicking the enemy's feet, making the demon stumble and fall on his back.

The human boy briskly took the arrow that tried to shoot them from the floor with one swept. He spun on his heels before stabbing the demon's chest, making some of his blood splutter to his face as the enemy went limp on the floor.

Axel watched the corpse below him, hands full of blood as it stained his borrowed clothes too. Axel took a glance at his hands before diverting his gaze toward Kiaran who was standing still like a statue.

"You... killed for me." Kiaran's red eyes watched him vacantly as if he was looking through Axel's soul

"Uh, yeah." His blue eyes twitched warily as he lowered his vision, trying to avoid demon Kiaran's gaze.

"Um, I don't know you, but my Kiaran doesn't kill, and I just assume that you are like him so I decided to help. I didn't mean to intervene, I'm sorry if I ruin your plan or that I-"

Kiaran suddenly hugged him, causing the boy to go stiff on his feet.

"You killed for me." Kiaran grasped his black clothes as he tightened the hug. "Willingly."

"Uh, yeah?" Axel confusedly answered.

Kiaran snuggled his nose to Axel's hair as he kept hugging him. Axel could hear the rumbling in Kiaran's chest when the human slowly returned the hug back. He could not help but have this warm feeling in his chest.

"You guys done?" A familiar monotone voice chimed in. Adreanna lowered her porcelain wings as she stared at the two hugging beings.

"Shut up. You're just jealous because I'm his favorite sibling." Kiaran mumbled in between the hug.

"...no you're not."

"I am."

"No."

"Okay, stop it you two, we need to help him back to his world, remember?" Cain finally stepped up after releasing another red wave, making his undead soldiers withered away.

Kiaran let go of the hug while still keeping his hands on Axel's shoulders. He moved his head toward his father. "Aw, can't he just stay, father?"

Kiaran looked over to Axel's sky blue eyes. "Can you stay?"

Axel nervously fidgeted in his place as he opened his mouth to answer. "I'd love to, but my real family would be worried about me."

"We are your real family too, you know." Added Cain softly, though there was a hint of something behind his words. The man showed his kindest smile as Axel looked over at him.

"Uh, right, okay." Muttered the human boy as he slowly pushed Kiaran away.

Axel looked around at the dead demons around him once more before spotting the room where he one hundred percent sure had the black roots mirror.

"That's the room!" He pointed to the door as he sped walk over there. The three demons followed behind him silently, watching the boy enthusiastically go into the room.

Axel opened the door to reveal the yet again familiar room with kingdom-ish furniture in it. His sapphire eyes caught the sight of the black roots mirror. The roots were pulsing, he could not help but have a little hope in his heart as he saw them.

He made his way over to the mirror, squinting his eyes when he realized he was not staring at his own reflection. He widened his eyes when he realized who the man across the mirror was.

"That's my Kiaran!" He exclaimed happily for the three demons behind him. He glanced at them for a second. He could not see their faces because of the dim lights around them but he could not care less anyway as he looked over to his real brother again.

"Kiaran! I'm here!" He spoke loudly, trying to get his brother's attention as he stood in front of the mirror, facing each other.

"Axel?" The mercenary asked, making sure he was actually hearing Axel's voice.

Then it clicked in Axel's brain, Kiaran probably could not see him through the mirror because technically, Axel was the one who was in the mirror.

"Yes, I'm here with-"

Axel spun around, looking for the demon version of his family. He frowned when he did not see the three of them. His eyes moved around the room once more but he still could not find them.

"Axel, cross the mirror. We don't have that much time." Ordered the mercenary.

Axel looked back at the mirror for a second before trying to look around again. "Yeah, but-"

"Come on now kid, don't test my patience." His brother continued with a hint of irritation in his voice unlike other Kiaran's melodic-

Axel shook his head, trying to clear the thought away. He glanced at the room he was in once more before finally bringing himself to the mirror. He put his hands first, making sure he could actually go through.

He sighed in relief when his hands cut through it. He slowly brought his body across the mirror. There was a weird tingly feeling as he went through it, he closed his eyes for a second before realizing that he already arrived in his world.

Kiaran was looking at him with a disapproved gaze. Hands crossed on his chest as he looked down at Axel.

This Kiaran was cold.

"I have to go through so much stuff because of you." Kiaran sighed while turning his back on him to the door.

"I'm sorry," Axel muttered an apology. He quickly followed his brother from behind.

Axel caught the sight of a dead man hugging a woman who was breathing. He frowned as he moved his gaze to his brother. "Kiaran, that woman is alive. Do you want me to kill her?"

The mercenary stopped in his spot, eyes glancing to Gina for a second before continuing his steps. "Don't worry about her, she would kill herself anyway."

Axel deepened his frown before deciding to obey. Kiaran always had a plan anyway.

The boy glanced back once more to the mirror. "I haven't said goodbye." He vacantly uttered.

✵✵✵✵✵✵

The three demons appeared from the shadow as they watched their boy walk away from the mirror. Surrounded by a suffocating silence, their red eyes followed Axel possessively.

"See you soon, Axel." The father muttered dangerously. The kind smile changed into the maniac one as Axel disappeared from his sight.

"Very soon."