Axal is typically spelled with an "x" because it represents the sound /ks/ in English. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription of Axal is /ˈæksəl/, where the "ks" sound is represented by the symbol "x". This spelling convention is consistent with many other words in English that contain this sound, such as "mix" and "box". While the spelling of Axal may seem unusual, it follows established rules of English spelling and pronunciation.