Romulus : The Rise Of The Demon

Chapter 27 : Wrath of the Phoenix

Never in my life had I experienced such a heat wave coming from one person! Standing at the burning door, is Axel. From the tip of the fingers to his elbows, his fire is dancing around, and yet, he doesn't show even an ounce of pain. The sleeves of his white shirt have burned off and his black hair is messy. But what amazes me the most are his eyes. They are neither the usual onyx eyes I have a crush upon, nor the demonic red eyes. They are different. The iris of his eyes' have become golden in colour and instead of normal human pupils, his are slit in the middle, like the eyes of a reptile. He gives a cheeky grin and says, "It's nice to meet all you five members. Oops! I mean four". Then, he winks at me. I let out a sigh of relief. One, because Axel has finally come to save us and two, because, thanks to the way Giovanni threw me on the sofa, I get to see a full-length view of the entire room.

"YOU BASTARD! I WILL KILL YOU", Evan shouts as he painfully tries to stand up. The rest of the surviving Dread stay put as they writhe in pain.

"Well, Mr. Evan Seymour. It was your brother's fault. He challenged me. I did warn him that he will die by his own blade. And while fighting, him saying all those names of aquatic animals made me quite hungry", Axel says with a chuckle. Then, he gives a malicious smile, which, to tell the truth, didn't suit him at all. He continues, "Also, you don't have to worry. I made sure that he got to suffer a lot".

Evan rushes towards Ethan's body and attempts to grab the sword. Axel swiftly moves towards him and kicks him in the abdomen with such a force that he is sent sprawling on the floor again. "If I were you, I wouldn't touch the sword. Not only is it hot, but it's holding your brother's body together".

"What do you mean by that, brat?" asks Von Brandt. Axel turns his head towards him; his golden, slitted eyes sending visible shivers down the cowboy's spine. "His body might look like it is fine. But inside, it is filled with ash. The sword not only stabbed his heart, but also burned him from the inside. If you remove the cutlass, his body will disintegrate", Axel tells them with a jovial smile.

"Why? Why are you killing us without any mercy?" asks Damian. I look at him with an 'are-you-serious?' expression. Is he dumb or does he simply have no idea how much his question is packed with irony. Axel touches his chin, as if he's thinking, looks at Damian, he clicks his tongue and says, "'Why' you say? Well, before this assignment was given to us, I got a message of approval from His Highness. You remember that scroll I read in Uncle's study, Cassie?" Axel asks me. I can only voice a 'hmm' in agreement, since I had been paralysed by Giovanni. He continues, saying, "Well, let me quote to you guys what His Majesty personally wrote in that letter of approval".

Axel clears his throat and says, "Dear Axel, I am glad to hear that you will be assigned to this case. The Dread is an enemy that the Warriors couldn't track down. But, I know that you won't disappoint me. Therefore, I, King Fredrick Eustace Solumra, the fifth, give you the permission for assassination of The Dread, which has been damaging the peace and balance of our society. But Axel, I also have a personal request. While finishing them, I want you to make sure that they get the worst possible death. I want them to know how those innocent girls felt while they were suffering. I wish that the Supreme guide you in your quest. Godspeed". Then, he gives a malicious grin again and says, "And I, like any loyal citizen of the Solumra Empire, am just making sure that His Majesty's wishes are fulfilled to the end". The Dread get so angry that they start rushing towards Axel. At that very moment, I hear the latter say, "Dread".

They stop moving abruptly and start to shiver in fear. Axel keeps staring at them, without moving a muscle. They cover their ears, close their eyes and start screaming and begging, "PLEASE STOP! I CAN'T BEAR THIS".