Axel stood frozen at the front of his house, his phone still in hand as his face twisted with confusion and disbelief. His shocked expression was caused by something as simple as the date on his screen. To him, he had only been gone for an hour or two, but according to his phone, an entire day had passed.
"How is that possible?" he muttered to himself, his mind racing. The system was clearly messing with his perception of time, and now he had to explain that to his sister. He could already imagine her reaction, and it wasn't going to be pretty.
Axel ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. "How will Annie even react when I step in... Man, this system is crapping things up."
He reached for his keys, intending to quietly let himself in, but then he heard a small clatter from inside the house. His hand paused mid-air. Someone was definitely in there. He lowered his hand, deciding it was better not to sneak in. Instead, he knocked on the door and waited, his stomach knotting with the anticipation of the upcoming confrontation.
The door swung open with a force that startled him, and there stood Annie, her face a storm of emotions. Her eyes met his, and in an instant, her expression morphed from relief to anger, her brows furrowing, her lips twisting into a scowl.
"Where the hell did you disappear to again?" she yelled, her voice carrying a sharp edge. "I thought you ran away or something!"
Axel opened his mouth to respond, but the words stuck in his throat. He could feel the heat of her anger, and no excuse he came up with was going to cool it down. Annie stepped back, leaving the door wide open as she stormed into the house. He followed her in, slowly shutting the door behind him, unsure of what to say.
"I'm really sorry, Sis," he said quietly, his voice barely audible. "I had very urgent business to attend to, and if I didn't... things would've gotten bad."
Annie spun around to face him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "So disappearing for a month wasn't enough for your 'business,' huh? You asshole! You literally died that day, Axel! I saw you die on the news!" Her voice cracked with emotion as she emphasized the last word.
Axel froze, guilt washing over him. His chest tightened painfully as he watched the tears welling up in his sister's eyes. He had never meant to hurt her like this, and seeing the pain on her face made him feel as though he'd been punched in the gut.
His mind screamed for him to tell her the truth, to let her in on what was really happening, but just as he opened his mouth, Velerium's voice echoed in his head.
"Don't tell her the truth, Axel," the voice warned, its tone commanding.
"But it's not like you can die," she teased, a playful smile creeping onto her face.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I don't feel pain," Axel shot back, half-joking. "And I haven't exactly tested how much I can withstand."
Their lighthearted exchange was cut short by a sudden interruption. A voice, soft yet commanding, echoed from the kitchen.
"Axel Teras, wasn't it?"
Axel's blood ran cold. He immediately turned his gaze from Annie toward the kitchen, his muscles tensing as his instincts flared. There, standing by the counter, was a stranger—a woman, no taller than a child but with the hardened features of an adult. She was a dwarf, her fair skin contrasting with her long, green hair that fell in waves down her back.
She wore a hooded jacket, dark trousers, and had the casual look of a college student, but Axel knew better.
He stepped in front of Annie protectively, his hand inching toward his dagger. "Who are you?" Axel demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
The dwarf woman tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "I'm not here to fight you, Axel. I'm here to deliver a message."
Axel's heart pounded in his chest. He had no idea how this woman had found him, but his instincts screamed that she was connected to the Fatek General or something even worse.
"I'm asking you again," Axel growled, his body tensing. "Who the hell are you?"
***Author's note***
Still behind just give days left for the contest to end and I'm still in need of a castle