ANGEL'S LANDING | BL

CHAPTER 19 | CONVICTION

Axel lay on his bed wide awake. Staring up at the bunk above, Axel released a breath before closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep. It had been two days since his training session with the colonel deep in the forest. After trying to help Axel expand his senses to encompass his surroundings and not just focus on him but failing, Rae had brought an exhausted hangel back to the camp where Axel slept for a straight day and night.

When he woke from sleeping for so long, Axel immediately plunged himself into hours and hours of endless training. After completing a full day of training, he had just showered and gone to bed, but he could not fall asleep even after multiple hours of physical activity. So, instead of wasting his precious time lying awake restlessly, Axel quietly pulled back his covers and slipped out of bed.

Once off his bunk bed, Axel carefully exited the dorm building and ventured out of the camp and into the forest once again. Finding the grove he had discovered two nights ago and seeing the same rock sitting where he had placed it, Axel stopped at the edge of the grove and released a deep breath before slowly making his way toward the the rock.

With each step, Axel released a breath and concentrated on his surroundings with closed eyes. Centering his focus, Axel reached out his senses to each and every rock, ant, leaf, and tree. Feel your surroundings. Connect...

Recalling the colonel's instructions, Axel extended his mind to encompass the entirety of the grove. Much like he had done with the colonel, Axel allowed his senses to be consumed by his surroundings. Sensing a soft hum emanating from just in front of him, Axel stopped walking and stood still. He had reached the stone.

Keeping his eyes closed, Axel began with the stone. It was the first element he had connected with beside the colonel. He was able to sense its shape and size even though he was not physically seeing it. Knowing that he would need to connect with much more in order to unlock his telekinetic abilities, Axel strengthened his connection to the stone before expanding his field of sensory.

As he reached out over the grove, Axel began to sense more and more. He sensed so much that his ears, nose, and chest were completely filled. Scents he had never smelled before filled his nose while sounds of the smallest beings tingled his ears. And his chest rumbled with the hums of all those he connected with.

Axel's breathing quickened as his connections grew stronger and stronger, and he began to feel a pull rise from deep within himself. Suddenly, it clicked! He had connected with the entirety of the grove. He could see everything that was present even though his eyes remained shut. Now, he could maneuver.

Eyes snapping open, Axel released a breath of awe as he saw the stone levitating right before him. He had fully connected to it and manipulated its field of energy. He had unlocked an element of his abilities!

"I did it!" Ecstatic with his success, Axel moved the stone through the air and brought it toward him before setting it on the palm of his hand.

Lips curling into a triumphant smile, Axel reveled in his success for a short moment before his head swooned. Suddenly using his abilities and sensing the entirety of the grove had drained much of Axel's energy. If he wished to manipulate more than just a rock, he would need to build up his stamina. And that would require weeks of practice and physical strengthening.

So, that's what he did. He practiced non-stop, pushing himself to the limit and then even further. And it was all for the billions. The billions he would save.

The months passed, and the leaves that had once been golden had all fallen from the trees. The days grew colder, and the nights even more so. But Axel continued to practice no matter the weather. Everyday, he would be up before dawn and training himself, and he never slept before midnight.