Battle Royale: Apocalyptone

Tale 2: Chapter 1 - A Child of Fearing Death

I still preach people even in the last days before the punishment. I am the last priest in the world, yet 50 people were going to the mass I held. I understand the reason why only 50.

Yes, I do not have a family, yet no children. I cared the poor people around me. It was merciful to do it, and I wished for giving mercy to the other people.

God himself chose a class of his punishment for me, and this class will save people, I became a White Mage, and I want to heal people, making them live to the salvation. I really become selfless, and I only wish one thing that is too selfish for me: to have my own family. This is a hard thinking to all the priests, but I am here as a priest to heal people's lives. That is love.

While I was designing my armor in thr Arsenal, I thought of what they called the Priest Hunters. Anti-Christ in other terms. I want my armor to look like a priest but it's better if that feature is hidden. Gold robes is good for me, at least I feel like I am just a normal White Mage, not a priest being a White Mage. That can reveal my true form.

I woke up inside a cathedral. Seemed to be literal. I am too far away from the Plague, which sends death when stayed there longer. I went outside to see the horizon of the battlefield. My only thing to do is to heal people who was hurt by other people just to create a duel between them.

While in the abandoned destructed town, I saw a Magi trying to burn a Hunter. I saved him. He was a teenage boy participating this punishment, fearing of death. I only give him booster to help him fight, since the Magi can kill him anyway. I left their duel and continue traveling.

I saw two lovers: a Magi and a Soldier, starving to death, while finding food inside abandoned houses. Good for me, I collected bread just where I woke up to share to other people. I thought God sent me there for a reason. I gave bread to them. They thanked me for it. I continued travelling.

I heard an explosion nearby, and it caused a collision to an empty store. I quickly ran to it. As I go nearer to it, the cries of a child goes louder. He was almost squashed by the ceiling, and he cannot move in pain. I helped him out and healed him. We quickly escape the town immediately, as he said, "He's coming." As we escaped, I heard screams of ones being murdered while tortured behind. I cannot help them out. The child said, "He's killing them." He sobbed after he heard the screams of pain.

In a mountain range, we camped. There, I scanned him and he's a Hunter. I treated him with food to eat since he was hurt and hungry that time. He said to me, "Mister, thank you for saving me." I responded, "No problem. It's my hobby to help people."

He sobbed, "Why are you so good to me? And it's not like a hobby a normal person could do." I hugged him with care. He continued, "Back there, my family protected me from the Assassin. They even called him the Reaping Jack. They used all of their mana to kill him, but no use. He destroyed the store we stayed on, and they were killed by the destruction."

I was so pity on his parents. I even shocked on the Assassin. I thought he could use these powers for good. Reaping Jack? I remembered him 3 years ago.

I left Trisonemia for seminars of the future priests. My only way of communication with them is through video calls. When I landed to Terrahearte (Philippines in the second cycle), I called them. I expected them to say hello, smiling. But, they talked to me like they were scared. Their last words are, "Reaping Jack is here." I saw them how they died. Someone killed them happily, as he enjoys it. I cannot accept the fact that he will be in the punishment. Luckily, I left there, but for my parents, it's a mistake. If only I could let them join my journey.

"Tell me the features of the Assassin," I asked. He answered , "He is like a shadow in the darkness, or a devil in robes. And he loves using the knives and daggers. He has the cape of the devil." I may have nightmares to hear this. I asked him again, "How did you managed to participate this punishment?"

He answered.

-----------------

We were happy in our house. We let the fears of the punishment stay away from us. We enjoyed together as family. Then, a day before the punishment starts, I heard my mom crying. She was talking to her sister in Trisonemia, but she saw her being killed by the Reaping Jack. On the screen, I saw intestines being eaten by the Reaping Jack. I locked myself in my room full of toys. I cried, and I fear of death. Why is it supposed to be this way? The only thing that will make me happy is the happy memories we created here on this world.

I was summoned in the Arsenal, there I asked the angels, "Why is it supposed to make this happen? It hurts us." They don't have a whole answer but, "Salvation." They chose a Hunter class for me. I do not know why Hunter, even if they were thought to be the weakest class. I asked, "Why this class? I could get killed easily." They answered, "Father." Then I woke up beside my parents. Their names are different from their real names. My father is Odin, a Magi. My mother's an Illusionist, named Ophelia. I called myself as Grimm.  Then there, what happened in the town.

-----------

My eyes teared about the story of that little boy. He was struggling for survival. He doesn't have weapons to use, so I stood up and get a big boulder rock and use my magic to create a bow, arrows and axe for him.

I asked him this, "Do you want to know how to use them properly?"

He answered with a smile, "Thank you."

He hugged me, so do I. He continued, "Without you, I will die of being nothing. But because you saved me, I think it's time to know how to avenge the one being killed by the Reaping Jack."

I know that White Mage blacksmithing is a cheat. Unfortunately, the Spectators saw it.

Blacksmithing is only for Warriors, and any other class are forbidden in this kind of magic.

"One more thing, I can see that you are a priest. It's happy to talk to a priest, actually," he said.