They both turn toward the noise—and there, in the shadowy corridor that leads to the rooftop, stands Axel. His eyes gleam with cold hatred, and his very presence seems to thicken the air, make it harder to breathe. There's something in his stance, in the way his hands grip the hilt of his katana, that sends a chill down Dave's spine. It isn't just anger. It's something else. Something dangerous.
"So here you are, bastard," he says, voice low, each word landing like a blunt strike. "What are you scheming now? Don't tell me you were just… having fun."
Axel's gaze locks onto Heinz, and his expression turns lethal. His whole body is coiled tight, as if a single word might snap the tension and send him lunging.
Dave feels a knot twist in his stomach; for the first time, Axel isn't just here to destroy him. No—this time, it's personal. There's something about Heinz's mere presence that ignites a fury deeper than rivalry. As if Dave were stealing something from him.
"Really, little brother? Jealous again?" Dave tries to deflect with his usual sarcasm, but his voice lacks its usual edge. The air is thick, suffocating. The way Axel looks at him, the fire burning in his eyes—it's too much. Even Dave doesn't fully understand it.
Axel steps forward. The moonlight through the skylight casts his silhouette into sharp relief. His face, normally unreadable, is twisted now with emotion he can't quite conceal.
"Don't mock me," Axel growls, his voice dripping with venom.
Dave's skin prickles. Axel is really angry—not the impulsive fury he knows, but something deeper. Something rooted in pain.
Before Dave can react, Heinz moves between them, positioning himself like a barrier. His posture is solid, protective in a way Dave never expected. His eyes lock on Axel's with fierce determination.
"I won't let you hurt him."
The words crash into the silence like thunder. Dave holds his breath. He never imagined Heinz would speak with such confidence, such unwavering conviction. For a moment, Axel's fury seems to waver. A flicker of doubt crosses his face—vulnerable, broken. But it vanishes just as quickly.
Axel straightens, a bitter smile curling on his lips.
"Don't kid yourself, freak," he spits, voice cold as the steel in his hand. "This has nothing to do with you. That bastard is my brother. Mine. He always will be."
The blade of the katana glints under the moonlight. A silent, gleaming threat.
Dave's heart pounds. It's not just the weapon—it's the weight of Axel's words. In another world, those words might have meant loyalty, something unbreakable. But here, in this warped place, where Axel is no longer his Axel, they sound more like a death sentence.
And still, something in Dave refuses to retreat. He clings to that spark of hope, that absurd belief that maybe—just maybe—there's still a way back.
"So that's how it is, Axel?" Dave asks, voice rough but steady. "If I belong to you, why don't you prove it?"
Axel says nothing. His mouth tightens. Something in him cracks. But before he can answer, Heinz steps forward, hand on the hilt of his sword. Ready to fight.
"He's not who you think he is… Leave, Axel."
The tension tightens to the breaking point. Dave can feel it—violence looming just out of reach.
Axel raises his katana. His expression is darker than ever, a black void with no return. This Axel hates him. That much is clear. But what hurts Dave most is the shadow of what could've been. A distorted reflection of love turned into war.
"So now you hide behind others?" Axel scoffs, voice tinged with bitterness. "Pathetic. Is that what your cowardice has cost you?"
Anger burns in Dave's chest, tangled with grief. This isn't his Axel. There's no love here. Only destruction.
"No. I'm not hiding behind anyone."
He takes a step forward. Axel falters. He didn't expect that.
Before another word can be said, Heinz draws his sword. The steel flashes, slicing the distance between them.
"Axel, do you really want this?" Heinz asks, trying one last time. "You don't know what's going on. You don't know who he is."
Axel glares at him, a frostbitten stare.
"And you do?"
A chill runs down Dave's spine. The air is suffocating.
"I know exactly who he is," Axel replies, voice like broken glass. His katana shines in the dark. "I'll admit—he's been acting strange lately. And you, you take advantage of his confusion. You pretend to help him. You're pathetic, Heinz."
Dave feels the sting of Axel's words deep in his chest, like a blade twisting in old wounds. There's no hope left. Not here. Not in this world.
Only hatred. Only destruction.