Chapter 5: Harsh Dreams and Training
Kane’s Training Begins
The air inside Kane’s bare home was quiet, a soft stillness settling over the space. The faint flickering of candlelight illuminated the wooden walls as long shadows danced across the room. Kane and Alt sat across from each other at the table, the silence hanging between them like a thick veil.
Kane’s body was tense, his shoulders hunched as he nervously fiddled with his hands. His discomfort, obvious, the weight of his unease pressing down on him.
Kane fidgeted, his voice quiet but laced with frustration. “I’m having trouble using the bow again… and I’m scared of facing the demon boss without proper training.”
He bowed deeply, hands clasped together above his head in a desperate gesture. His posture was full of sincerity, the vulnerability clear in his eyes.
“Please! I need your guidance!”
Alt remained silent for a long moment, her gaze calm and unreadable as she considered his words.
Then, without a word, she stood up and began walking toward the door.
Kane froze, the sudden shift in her movement sending a jolt of fear through him. His stomach twisted with uncertainty.
Kane, his voice filled with confusion and concern, called out softly, “Alt…?”
Alt stopped, glancing over her shoulder with a quiet, knowing look.
“…What are you waiting for? Let’s get to training.”
Kane’s face lit up immediately, the tension in his body releasing as he scrambled to his feet. Without wasting another second, he hurried after her, a renewed sense of determination pushing him forward.
The Training Grounds – Target Practice
They arrived at an open training area, where three wooden target dummies stood at various distances, their surfaces weathered from countless training sessions. The cool night breeze drifted through the air, rustling the leaves in the trees, adding a serene yet oddly tense feeling to the atmosphere.
Alt took a breath, her gaze scanning the targets. “It seems like this game no longer supports auto-aim…”
Kane groaned, his frustration evident as he ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah… unfortunately.”
Alt’s tone remained calm, yet focused. “So… the most crucial part is to have steady breathing and posture. Never panic, and don’t think about missing. Just aim and shoot.”
She studied him for a moment, taking in his stance and positioning with sharp eyes.
“Fix your stance. Widen your legs slightly.”
Kane adjusted awkwardly, trying his best to follow her instructions. “...Like this?”
Alt shook her head, then approached him from behind with quiet precision. Without warning, she pressed against him slightly, her hands covering his as she adjusted his stance and grip on the bow. The touch was brief but deliberate.
Kane froze, his body paralyzed by the sudden closeness. His face flushed crimson as a mix of confusion and embarrassment flooded his mind.
(“I know this is a game, but WHY does this feel so real?! I can feel her body against mine! HELP!”)
Kane gulped, trying to regain control of his thoughts. “O-okay… now what?”
Alt’s voice was steady, unfazed by the situation. “Now, shoot.”
Kane snapped back to reality, his hands trembling as he gripped the bow. “Oh! Uh-yeah!”
With a deep breath, he pulled the string back, aimed carefully, and then released.
Thwip!
The arrow flew through the air, hitting the bullseye with a satisfying thud.
Kane stared in disbelief at the target. “WHAT?! I DID IT!”
Overcome with excitement, his body moved on instinct, and he jumped for joy. Without thinking, he tackled Alt into a hug, lifting her off the ground for a brief, unrestrained moment.
“THANK YOU, ALT!”
Alt, completely unfazed by the sudden gesture, gave a simple nod, her expression still calm. “Good. Level 1 training starts now.”
Kane, still flushed from the excitement, blinked in confusion. “...Areh?”
The night dragged on painfully for Kane.
Super-speed moving targets flashed across his vision, impossible to track. Timed rapid-fire sessions left no room for error, each round slipping through his fingers like sand. There was no rest, no breaks, just relentless training.
Kane’s voice echoed through the air, his frustration building with each missed shot. “AAAAAAAHHHH!”
Alt’s voice cut through the chaos, calm and unyielding. “Focus.”
Kane gritted his teeth, trying to steady his breathing, but his hands shook. “I CAN’T!”
Kane collapsed onto the ground, his legs giving out from exhaustion, his soul seemingly leaving his body. He clutched his bow like it was the only thing keeping him grounded in the world. His chest heaved with every shallow breath, his muscles sore and spent.
Kane’s eyes were glassy, his mind fogged from the intensity of the training. “Th-thank God I’m not dead…”
Alt stood nearby, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on his exhausted form. She watched him, seemingly unfazed by his condition.
She smiled slightly.
It was small, almost imperceptible, but it was there. A brief moment of softness in her otherwise stoic demeanor.
Kane caught the small expression, and for a moment, his exhaustion seemed to fade. He let out a tired chuckle, the corner of his mouth twitching upward despite the ache in his body. “…Heh.”
Alt raised a brow, looking at him with a faintly amused glint in her eyes. “What?”
Kane grinned, his energy slowly returning. “Nothing. Just… I think I’m getting better at this.”
Alt nodded approvingly, her expression softening just a little more. “Good. Get some rest. Training resumes tomorrow.”
Kane groaned but smiled anyway, the lightness in his chest lifting just enough to make the thought of continuing feel bearable.
Meanwhile…
Axel, in his bedroom bathed in soft moonlight that filtered through the window, was deep asleep on his humble bedding.
All of a sudden, the air carried a strange, almost romantic stillness, as if the world outside had slowed to a quiet hum.
Axel found himself lying on a different bed, his eyes fixed on Alt, who lay beside him. She looked calm yet fierce, her silver hair framing her face beautifully in the soft light, a serene expression on her features.
Axel, entranced by the moment, gazed at her with a soft, almost reverent look in his eyes. “You’re so… beautiful, Alt…”
Alt blinked slowly, her eyes locked on his with a knowing gaze. She didn’t speak, but there was something in her expression that held him there, unable to look away.
Axel, feeling the weight of his own feelings, whispered dramatically, his voice low and full of longing. “I have always longed for you… Even when I thought you were a guy, I accepted my homo side…”
Alt’s lips curved into a small, knowing smirk, her voice calm but teasing. “I have longed for you as well, Axel. You’re my leader… but also my devoted lover.”
She inched closer to him, their faces nearly touching now, the tension between them thickening.
Axel’s heart raced, his breath caught in his throat, unable to move as her presence seemed to consume him.
Alt’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “…Shall we seal this bond?”
Their lips were just about to meet-
“AXEL! AXEL!!!”
Axel bolted upright, his eyes wide and half-dazed from the sudden awakening. His lips were still puckered, frozen in the moment of his dream.
Damon stood over him, arms crossed, an eyebrow twitching in disgust. His expression was a mixture of confusion and exasperation.
“Why the f*ck are you making that kissy face?!”
Damon’s voice was sharp, cutting through the lingering warmth of the dream.
Axel blinked a few times, still groggy and trying to shake off the remnants of his dream. “Huh? Oh crap!”
He rubbed his face aggressively, his embarrassment washing over him as he realized what had just happened. The blush on his face deepened as he tried to regain composure.
Damon, clearly unimpressed, muttered deadpan, “I regret waking you up.”
Axel, still groggy and clearly flustered, groaned. “What do you want, Damon?”
Damon crossed his arms, his gaze narrowing. “Have you seen Kane or Alt? They’re not answering my messages.”
Axel paused, his expression thoughtful. “No… why?”
Damon’s eyes narrowed, a suspicious glare forming as he leaned slightly forward. “I heard Kane invite Alt over to his place… I think they’re doing something sus.”
Axel froze, his face immediately heating up. His mind raced, the implication of Damon’s words sinking in.
“Y-you mean… l-like… s-se-hehe-se—” Axel stammered, unable to finish his sentence.
Before he could process the thought further, a knock at the door interrupted him.
Both Axel and Damon whipped their heads toward it, eyes widening in simultaneous realization.
“Axel?” came a muffled voice from outside.
Damon smirked, his tone dripping with amusement. “Speak of the devil.”
Axel’s eyes went wide, and his body stiffened. “O-oh, um… c-come in?”
Kane opened the door and stepped inside, eyes immediately widening as he took in the scene before him. His gaze flicked between Axel and Damon with an expression of mild confusion.
Kane raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here, Damon?”
Damon, without missing a beat, shrugged nonchalantly. “Nonya.”
Kane blinked in confusion. “Nonya?”
Damon’s smirk widened. “None-ya business.”
Kane gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. “So rude!”
He turned to Axel, a dramatic flair in his voice as he exclaimed, “Hey, Axel! You were right—it was TORTURE.”
Axel facepalmed, finally remembering his earlier conversation with Kane. “...But you did it, though,” Axel muttered, still processing the awkwardness of the situation.
Kane let out a dramatic sigh, collapsing onto a nearby chair. “Barely!”
Damon raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “...What are you two talking about?”
Axel rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish. “I told Kane to train his bow skills with Alt. She’s better at it than any of us here. Better make sure we’re all prepared for this boss fight.”
Damon nodded slowly, understanding dawning on him. “Ohhh… I see.”
Kane grinned mischievously, his tone teasing. “Ohhh~ Did you think we were messing around?”
Damon’s face immediately darkened as his irritation grew. “Shut up.”
Kane snickered, clearly enjoying the moment. “So intense. Can’t take a joke?”
Damon groaned, shaking his head in exasperation. “I’m going to bed.”
With a lazy salute, Damon turned and walked toward the door, his irritation still visible. He paused, turning back to glance at them before finally closing the door behind him.
The room was quiet again, the soft crackling of the fireplace the only sound that filled the stillness. Axel sat on his bed, staring at the door where Damon had just left, the tension from the conversation lingering in the air.
Kane shifted awkwardly, clearly unsure of how to respond after the weird exchange. “…What was that about?”
Axel shook his head with a small exhale, his frustration turning to resignation. “Hey… I’m heading to bed too. You should get some rest. Good job on your training.”
Kane blinked, caught off guard by Axel’s sudden change in tone, but nodded in acknowledgment. “Oh… okay.”
Kane turned toward the door, but just before stepping out, he paused.
“…Goodnight, boss.”
He closed the door softly behind him, the sound of it clicking shut hanging in the air.
Axel leaned back against his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind buzzed with the day’s events, but the weight of exhaustion pulled at him.
With a long sigh, he closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of peace before sleep.
“…I need some rest.”
Late Night – An Assassin’s Internal Struggle
Damon stared at the screen, his fingers hovering uncertainly over his message log. The soft glow of the menu illuminated his face in the dark bedroom, the light reflecting in his eyes as he read the messages he had written to a certain silver-haired knight.
Message Log:
DemonFox: Hey! Where did you go?
DemonFox: Hello?! You ok?
DemonFox: You’re not doing anything weird, are you?
DemonFox: Please respond back :(
…
Alt: Sorry. I just got done training Kane. Did you need something?
DemonFox: :o
DemonFox: Nevermind…
Alt: Ok. Let me know if you need anything.
DemonFox: (thumbs up emoji)
Damon groaned in frustration, slumping back against his pillow as he shut the menu off with a sharp motion.
(“Gaaah! You’re so lame, Damon!”) he cursed to himself, his face burning with embarrassment at how he'd acted.
With a deep sigh, he threw the blanket over himself, pulling it tightly around his shoulders. His eyes shut, but sleep didn’t come easily as his mind raced, thoughts of Alt and his awkwardness swirling in his head.
He willed himself to sleep, trying to push the thoughts away.
Kane laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. He tossed and turned, unable to escape the memory of Alt adjusting his stance, her hands guiding his with a softness he couldn’t shake from his thoughts.
(“This isn't good… I need to sleep!”) he thought, desperately trying to push away the image. His heart continued to race in his chest, a lingering warmth from her touch that he couldn’t ignore.
Frustrated, he turned over, burying his face into his pillow in an attempt to block out his racing mind. But no matter how much he tried to relax, his body refused to settle. The thought of her was too vivid, too real.
In the quiet of the night, Ken, Alt, and Madden were dead asleep. Their forms were still and undisturbed in their respective homes. The night passed in perfect stillness, the world outside seemingly unaware of the tension that had been building in each of their hearts.
The sounds of the night, the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, the distant calls of nocturnal creatures, filled the air, as the Axl Guild members slept, lost in their own dreams.
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