Agggh I know this hasn't been updated in so long! D: But here's the next update :D

So Liz and Anna have actually been really focused on their HG fic, which is awesome because it's really cool, so for now while they're working on that, Nan and I will be taking over for a bit :D

Once Liz comes back from her HG story, she'll probably continue this for you guys

*Important Note: I struggle a lot with 3rd person POV, when I write that way, it just seems flat and and not very engaging, so while I'm writing, I'm going switch this to 1st person POV only so you guys get the best experience.

I hope you guys still like it ;3;

~ Kate ^.^

Franz's (1st Person :P) POV

I quickly tear my gaze away from the window, although I still feel Axel's dark eyes following me as I step away. Only when I duck my head down do I see the small red drops staining the ground.

Blood.

The sight makes me sick to my stomach, but I find myself wanting to investigate anyway. I look around the small house in case I'm missing anything else, then kneel down. Now I'm sure it's blood. No doubt it's from one of the massacred villagers. Who would do such a thing to an innocent village?

Unless they wanted someone's attention. That's the only explanation, no one destroys an entire village for kicks, people just don't work that way. Not anyone sane at least.

I look up from the loose soil on the ground, looking for any signs of a fight. The table appears to be slightly crooked, the bookshelf is tilted in an odd angle and there are a few books on the ground. Other than that the house looks fine. Whoever did this knew what they were doing, they didn't want to get caught. But why go through the trouble of destroying a village to gain attention, then not leave any evidence of who did it?

All the questions whirl around in my head like a storm, I can't answer any of them. This is puzzling.

I look back down at the dirt and notice something I hadn't before. A boot print. It's faint, someone tried to move lightly so they didn't leave any prints, but this person did. The size of the track isn't too big, but it indicates that the person was tall. The indent is shallow, so the person couldn't have been all that heavy.

So someone who knows what they're doing, not too heavy, but tall. I look closer at the print for anymore clues, and lucky I did. I recognize the unique pattern the track makes.

And just to make sure I take a look at the bottom of my own boots.

I'm right.

A Ranger was here, but I didn't see anyone else come into the house before me. So that means they had to have been here for us. Even then, it couldn't have been anyone here now, all of us are too small to fit the description. But then I realize.

All of us except one person.

"What'd you find there, Franz?"

My heart skips a beat and I quickly scramble to my feet, turning around.

Axel.

I didn't even hear him come in. His silhouette takes up the entire doorframe, it vaguely looks like he's trying to block it on purpose. I can only stare at the man who caused me so much fear and pain. It's because of him that I'm the way I am now. I can't shake the feeling of crushing fear that's weighing me down. I always told myself the next time I saw the man that attacked me, I'd be brave. I'd stand up to him.

Instead, I'm frozen in fear, choking on my own words. It might be different if Axel wasn't also the one who destroyed this village. Who killed all these innocent people. And the worst part is I know it's him. I know he did it! But I'm unable to say anything. I curse myself for being so frightened, sometimes I feel like I don't have control over my own fear. That's probably because I don't.

"Well?" he asks again, a misleading smile plastered on his face.

I shrug and glance down at the boot print, but quickly move back so I'm standing on it when he starts to walk over.

"Just a print," I respond, although my voice is quieter than I intended. "But it's too faded for me to see anything too distinct."

Axel's slightly tense posture relaxes for a moment, but he continues to keep walking.

"Can I just take a look?" he asks.

I freeze. If he looks at it and sees that it's distinct enough, he'll question why I lied. He'll know I suspect him.

"I already looked," I say, my voice catching in my throat.

I don't miss the suspicious, yet aggressive expression that flickers across his face. He narrows his eyes at me, but then smiles.

"Well, I know you looked." he continues. "I just want to make sure you're not missing anything. After all you're still just an apprentice."

He disdainfully spits out the word apprentice as if it was bad food. I can't stop myself from flinching.

"Move aside, please." Axel smiles.

So I do. But I also drag my boot across the print as I move, destroying it. Axel glances down at the dirt and then flicks his fiery gaze back up to me.

"Clever," he hisses quietly.

His friendly, happy-go-lucky demeanor is gone, replaced by his true aggressive one.

"Why'd you do that?"

I only stare at him for a moment, then take a small step away from him, moving my eyes back down to the floor. Axel's dark, withering gaze is like a heavy weight, forcing me to falter under it.

A voice in my head is screaming at me to run, to get as far away from this unstable man as I can. But my feet feel cemented to the floor. My agonizing fear intensifies when he takes a menacing step forward, but then he stops.

I glance up at him in confusion, noticing him looking past me and out the window. I glance over my shoulder, and relief washes over me like ice water on a hot day.

Stephen is staring from beside Halt. It looks like the two were talking but paused their conversation to watch Axel. I look back at Axel who gives the two Rangers a friendly wave. Halt seems fooled, but Stephen only nods at Axel, hesitantly continuing his conversation with Halt.

"We'll talk a little later, okay?" Axel says kindly.

But his malevolent eyes don't match the fake gentleness of his voice. I don't look away from him until he walks out of the house, closing the door when he leaves. I release the air I don't even remember holding in, and feel a wave of dizziness. I grip the table tightly to keep from falling over and blink to refocus my blurry vision.

I watch as Axel disappears into another house. At some point I have to expose him, I have to tell the truth.

Whether it scares me or not.

I know this chapter is kind of short, but I'm still getting a hang of the story. Again sorry for the shift in POVs and stuff, hopefully you guys still like it!

Next update should be soon!

~ Kate ^_^