The next morning arrives and Axel slowly awakens. Veronica is at his side, a faint smile on her face. "You're awake, You had me worried, I thought you had lost your mind."

Axel frowned, "I did... I did lose my mind...as did you...you got hurt because of me..."

Veronica sighs, "I'm still alive, Axy."

Axel rolls onto his side, the red dressed kid climbs onto his bed. "Axel. What have you been seeing lately. Have you seen anything unusual before?"

Axel nods, "I've been seeing...figures lately, well...one. they have been popping up here and there, especially after defeating one of these...knights."

Veronica looks away slightly, arms in her stomach, "Nngh..."

He gets up, "Are you alright...?"

Veronica shuts her eyes tightly, "Do I...look al...right?! I feel...like my...guts are on fire...!v

After deep breathing, Veronica's pain subsides. "I should of merged my power with Serena..."

Axel shakes his head slowly, "You would of both ended up Over-Exerting yourselves..."

Veronica sighs, "We would have done it regardless of our well-being. We of Arboria have sworn to protect you...-"

Before Veronica could finish, Serena joins in, "As long as we live, none shall defeat you." She then reveals herself. "We made a sacred oath to protect you. We know what we were getting into..."

Axel looks down. "But if you died... I-"

Veronica nudges him slightly, "Well, We're still alive, so you can be quiet." She folds her arms. "You forget I'm not a little girl, Axel. I'm a young lady, possibly older than you." She flicks her hair.

Serena lowers her eyebrows, "Veronica is right, Axel. We are a lot stronger than we look."

Hendrik walks in as well, "Prince Axel, Princess Jade is here to see you."

Jade rushes in, "Are you alright, Axel?"

Axel raised his hand, "Y-Yes...! I'm fine! Just a little tired but-" Jade sits beside him, causing Veronica to shuffle unintentionally and adorably to the end of the bed.

"We have found no signs of your secret adversary, Your Majesty, but I fear that they have the element of surprise for an indefinite amount of time. As embarrassing as it may sound, we must travel as one when in the wilderness." Hendrik had said, folding his arms.

"Like a Phalanx Formation?" Veronica asked, "Hate to say it, but besides you and Axel, we're not exactly soldier-material. Even Sylvando who has trained as a knight, isn't that strong, but at least he's more tougher than Erik."

A sudden "Hey!" Is heard and Erik is suddenly in front of Veronica, "What do you mean 'He's more tougher than me'!?"

Veronica pulls a cocky expression. "I mean you are more wimpy than him!"

Erik growls, "At least I don't throw a temper tantrum like you when I don't get my own way, you spoiled little brat!"

The group looks to Veronica.

"Little brat!? Is that all you can say you blue haired, ill-mannered Buffoon?!"

They look to Erik.

"Hey! At least I can put up a fight!"

Then to Veronica.

"Says the guy who got knocked down within seconds! You have a nasty habit for that, don't you!?"

Then to Erik.

"I didn't see you doing anything besides looking like a complete baby!"

Veronica stands up on the bed, her head clashes with Erik's.

"YOU WANT TO CALL ME THAT AGAIN, YOU THIEVING, ARROGANT CUR!?"

He tightens a fist, as does Veronica.

"OHHH, IF YOU WEREN'T FRIENDS WITH AXEL, I'D RIP YOU A NEW ONE!"

"WHY I OUGHTA-!!" Suddenly Axel jumps in,

"Both of you, cut it out!!" He'd hold his head, grunting. "Tch-...! Why don't you both kill each other elsewhere and leave me alone! In fact, Everyone leave me alone!!"

The room fell silent as everyone had a shocked expression.

Axel clicks in as he'd frown... "S-Sorry...I need some time alone..."

Erik and Veronica look to one another... before leaving, Serena frowns, leaving with a saddened look on her face.

Hendrik looks away, he knew what was troubling Axel, and did not question him. "Very well..."

Jade looks to Axel, "I..."

Axel returns the look. "I'm sorry, Jade... I don't know what's happening to me..."

Jade nods, "I know... I'll...be downstairs if you need me..."

"Don't worry, Lad. you just focus on getting better."

Axel smiled slightly...but Rab could see the sadness in his eyes.

She, Rab and Hendrik leaves.

Axel frowns as he falls asleep.

He's in the Fortress of Fear. Why? Where was his friends?

"Axel...!" Axel turns to the direction of the voice, It was Erik!

"Erik!?" He ran towards the pained groans.

He turns the corner to see the beaten, bloodied brigand. Coughing up blood. He'd growl in pain, "We were separated by something...i-It managed to overpower Hendrik...then Sylvando... Jade managed to chase it off, but Veronica and Serena are still missing...she left to go look for them...!

"Hendrik and Sylvando!?" He said in shock, he'd start healing Erik's injuries.

Erik nods. "It was an exact Doppelgänger of you...it kept uttering... something..."

Erik began to shudder, his expression was of shock and fear, "Take me to Serena..."

Axel holds Erik up, carrying him, "Don't you dare die on me, damn it!

Erik breathes heavily his face was of pure horror. "We need to...find Veronica and Serena...!"

Axel nods. His best friend was beaten with in the inch of his life, and now may die if he's not treated.

"We need to find the others quickly...!" He'd run down the hallway, "Grandpa!? Jade!?"

He'd run up a staircase. "Serena!?"

The halls seem to fly by him, they were empty and completely lifeless. "VERONICA!?!"

He'd see a collapsed hallway, with a red clad child under a collapsed pillar and a maiden in lime green in front of her.

"Serena!! Veronica!!" He'd first attempt to help Veronica, who was grunting in pain, he'd drop Erik by Serena. "S-Serena...?! I'm here...!"

"Axel...! Forget about us! Run!!" Veronica cries out.

He'd shake his head. "I'll do no such thing..!" He'd try to raise the debris, earning a cry of pain from Veronica. "I'm already dead!! Take Serena and run!!

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!" He would somehow throw the pillar off her and carries her to Serena.

Veronica shakes Serena weakly, "Serena? A...re you awake?"

No response. Axel feels that pang of anxiety again. Something watching him... "Come on, Serena!" Erik calls out.

"Serena...!?" Veronica says loudly. "Y-You better not be dead! If you are... I'll kill you!"

She'd shake her again, and Serena rolled onto her back, her eyes suddenly open, and Axel covers her mouth as she lets out a muffled scream. "Serena! It's us...!"

Serena shakes her head, "A-Axel... behind you...!"

Axel looks behind him as he stands.

A knight was walking towards him. He'd draw his Sword of Light. "Who are you?!" The knight doesn't say anything before drawing it's sword. It looked identical to Axel's sword.

"You know who I am..."

Axel charges at the mysterious knight and crosses blades. "Are you one making me paranoid!? Are you sending knights after me!?"

The being smirked, and Axel makes a grab for its helmet. "SHOW YOUR FACE!!"

Suddenly the Dundrasilian helmet clanks to the floor, a swipe from his opponent results in the same happening to his own helmet.

What Axel saw confirmed one thing. He was fighting himself. A dark, evil version of himself.

"Oh you look surprised. Why? You probably knew it was me the entire time."

Axel shook his head. "Why did you hurt my friends...?"

Dark Axel shrugged, "They're not my friends. My friends are dead."

Axel didn't follow. "What do you mean...?!'

Dark Axel sighs. "I'm from an Alternative timeline...one where I lost everything..."

Axel thinks, "You mean...You really are me?"

Dark Axel nods, with a smirk. "Yeah.but the difference is, I don't have a Veronica or a World Tree to go back to... I lost everything."

Axel growled, "and you think it's ok to come into my timeline and screw it up?"

Dark Axel laughs, "Probably! But enough about me. It's time to wake you up!!"

Dark Axel charges at Axel.

In a mighty flash, he jolts awake. "Gahl!'

Pant...

Pant...

It was only a dream... Axel laid back... "What was that...?"

Serena sees him, "Are you ok? You look like you seen a ghost."

Axel looks to her and his mind instantly flashes to her horrified expression. He looks away. "How's Erik...and everyone...?"

Serena frowns as she'd sit beside him. "He's fine. He and Veronica had a... big fight outside and it resulted in the two falling out. He...got a little out of hand and hurt her feelings."

Axel got up. "What exactly did he say."

Serena frowns, shaking her head. "I won't repeat what he said, but she wasn't in the right, either. Out of all their bickers, this one was the worst."

Axel sighs, covering his face with his hands. "This nightmare is really... really hitting me hard...but I... I knew the risk and I couldn't..."

Serena frowned sadly, "You'd risk fighting Mordegan again, for Veronica?"

Axel nods, "Yes... I...love her." He'd sigh, "I should look for them. I don't want Erik to end up leaving, nor do I want Veronica getting bloodthirsty again."

Serena puts her hands on his chest, "I'll talk to Erik."

Erik sighed, he really disliked Veronica. "Just a poor ill-mannered boy, she said... 'No wonder your parents abandoned you', she said." He'd huff. "She was asking for it..."

Serena walks up to him. He'd stand up, drawing his dagger, "Back for round two, are ya-!?" He'd see Serena, wide eyed.

"Why is your dagger out, Erik?" She'd ask in a suddenly stern, loud voice, her face showed anger very well.

Erik winced, he'd look to his hand. He sheath it instantly and he'd look hurt. "Sorry. Veronica pushed some really big buttons..."

He'd sit down again, "Shouldn't you check up on her...?"

Serena sits down beside him, "Axel is checking on her." Erik puts his knees up, his arms resting on them.

"Serena...sorry about saying how your parents probably didn't give Veronica the same time as you. That was out of order."

Serena sighed, "It was out of order. I was hurt as well."

Erik frowned, "What can I do to make it up to h-"

Serena folds her arms, "Apologize."

He'd stand, "Alright..." He takes her hand, "You know where she is?"

Axel had seen Veronica sit on a bench, knees up, face buried in her dress, angrily uttering curse words and swears, occasionally shuffling, fire surfaces on her hands.

Upon hearing footsteps approach her, she glares daggers at the person, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU T-!!" She widens her eyes at Axel, a small noise leaves her throat. He was the last person she wanted to see, or shout at.

He'd sit beside her and she jump off the bench, "No, Axel...! Just..."

Axel frowns, "What...?" She folds her arms.

"You know what...!" She replied. "You think I forgot what you said to me and Erik?"

Axel kneels beside her, "I'm sorry... I was very-"

Veronica turned to face him, her eyes were tearing up. "You're changing, Axel...and it's not for the better! You shouldn't tell your girlfriend and your best friend to go and kill each other, because that nearly happened!"

Erik and Serena walks up. "Oh great(!) Just what I need!" Veronica said with a facepalm.

Erik sighed, "I want to say something, Vero."

Veronica twitches her eye, "Say. It."

Erik breathes in, then clenched his fists, "I'm... sorry."

Silence.

"What?" Veronica said.

Erik blushed, "I said I'm sorry! I was bang out of order by saying you weren't given as much love when you were a kid."

Veronica looked uncharacteristically quiet before she puffs her cheeks. "Well- I'm sorry too. But maybe next time you won't push my buttons."

Erik blabbered, "I- you- gch- You pushed my buttons first!"

Veronica sticks her tongue out, "Mmmph!"

Erik does the same, "Mmggff!"

"MMMMMMF!"

"MMMMMMGGF!"

The two fold their arms and huffs, with Erik walking away, Serena would follow, "E-Erik! Wait!"

Axel sighs as he sits on the bench. He'd smile, chuckling. Veronica looks at him, she'd giggle as she'd sit beside him. "What's so funny?"

"You and Erik are like a bickering brother and sister at times. He bickers with his sister all the time."

Veronica smiles, "Oh? Mia?" She thinks a little, "I like her! She and I have something in common, we love to annoy him."

Axel nods. "Veronica... I'm sorry for tell you guys to just...leave me alone."

Veronica sighs, "It's ok. I know it's because you're seeing things that we can't see ourselves." But that doesn't give you the reason to just lash out."

She'd now stand between his legs, face to face. "It's getting late...We should go to the Inn and sleep."

Axel carried Veronica to the Inn, "Too lazy, huh?"

Veronica nuzzles in and gets comfortable, "Nah, just tired." Axel scoffs, "Well, fair enough."

Upon entering the inn's bedroom that they shared, Veronica leaps from Axel's arms and onto the bed. "Kid or Adult?"

"Sorry?"

Veronica sighs. "Do you want me to be a kid or Adult?" Axel nods, "Adult...?"

Veronica changes as Axel switche to his bedwear before climbing into bed.

She then strips her dress off and within seconds, she's in bed, getting comfortable, taking her hat off and undoing her pigtails. She looked like Serena.

"Alright. Sooo...what do you want to do?" Veronica smirks.

Axel stretches, "Sleep?" Veronica giggles as she gets on him, "We do that after~!" She'd lean in to kiss him on the lips. "Just follow my lead...and be thankful I'm easily forgiving..."

Hendrik, Rab and Jade are outside. "Helidor Patrols have reported an increase in Vicious Monsters in the region, and the Sultan has also said his worry on the monsters in the Gallopolisian locale."

Rab nods, stroking his beard, "Aye, lad... I've been getting this feelin' that monsters are gettin' rather aggressive at anythin', even themselves. An auld dog like me's havin' trouble putting them down."

Jade folds her arms, "Father did say he's increased the amount of soldiers in the patrols, as well as deploy outposts and checkpoints, but has anyone been feeling off lately...?"

"You too, lass? It's not just me then..."

Hendrik looks up at the surroundings. "I have been feeling like I'm being watched. Axel had been complaining about this feeling, warning me about it. We must remain vigilant..."

The two nods, as they return to the Inn.

Jade sees the room belonging to Axel and Veronica. She'd peak in through the keyhole only to quickly move away from it, breathing a little heavily, a faint blush on her face.

She'd enter her room quicker than usual, then lies on her bed and closes her eyes to meditate...but then the sight she recently seen invades and causes her to blush again, "Aagh...!"

Morning came and the group prepares to move out... Axel stows his sword on his back. "Where's Sylvando?"

Erik smiles, "Gallopolis. I got a letter from him, well it was addressed to you, saying he was there."

Axel stretches, "To Gallopolis then!" Everyone then moves onward, to the Gallopolis Region.