Battle Royale: Apocalyptone

Tale 1: Chapter 2 - Missed Arrow

We woke up and we got outside Artemis' illusion dimension. We kept travelling in the forest, finding some food.

Artemis felt so strange at the land we walked into. She said to me that she didn't saw a part of an elevated land in this part of the forest with full of nistlepods. She was wondering if this is the new house of the family she met. But since the Plague is coming, I started to think and they should know so I commanded her, "Artemis, alarm them."

So, she did, with a ghost illusion spell.

40 minutes had past and no traces of enemies. At least, the Plague is far away from us. From trees to trees, no ending of the forest. Suddenly, Artemis asked me something, "I still have my music player, would you like to listen?" I agreed. She put one of the earphone buds to my ear. She played the song, "It Only Takes A Moment". We listened to it as we traveled far from the forest.

We acrossed a deserted military camp. Maybe we can find guns as alternatives, and yes, for Artemis. She doesn't have a gun. But, Artemis told me, "Hey, dude! You are the blacksmith. You can access to it."

Yeah, I was so dumb after all. Well, just because I keep looking forward for my family.

Looks like I need a working space for blacksmithing, so we found one. I asked her, "What weapon? Your bow?" She answered, "No, a staff. I can't even do  archery back then. Back at our second date."

Our second date? I don't want to remember it because it's the greatest regret I had.

8 years ago, we went to a sport center. We tried bowling, gunshooting, tennis, ardione (a very Mayan sport, balls to the pusher and when you have more balls from the other team, the pusher will go to the enemy's base, where the victory lies ahead to the other team) and of course, archery. Of all things we tried, archery is her problem. She accidentally hit the other shooter's arrow. That player was angry at us since she is almost at the bull's eye, and I calmed her down but I started to think deeply, why am I falling in love with another girl? I fell in love with the one I date, and now, it's her. She even looked at me like she's in love in me. That's how I met my wife, Jacqueline.

My old self is a failure. Now with a fatherly face I got, and a strong body, I think I could fight for what I loved the most, the family. I thought this is something I could change. I want to forget Artemis also, since I can't get a chance to fight for the rights.

I still thinking about that thing while forging her staff. I can't release it, even though I'm doing something for her.

Suddenly, one of the glass behind us just broke. We felt terrified of it. Artemis took a short notice that an arrow broke it. Looks like Hunter's. I sensed that someone is going inside the base. I don't want to create the first move. So, I put the arrow on the table nicely, and give it something a thrill, an illusion trap.

We became in a complete silence, trying to watch what will happen to the Hunter.

He stepped to the grounds of the trap...

It's a White Mage!? Using bow and arrows? He was struggling in getting out of the trap. Thanks to Artemis' passive ability, any of her illusions will not allow counterspell unless she deactivated it. I asked him out very angrily, "You almost killed me? Why did you f***ing do that?".

Artemis sensed something that he doesn't have bow and arrows. Well, she has in her mind, "Is that arrow relevant to you?"

I freaked out when she asked that. Actually, he answered her question, "That's from the young Hunter. I adpoted him. I swear, and I am a priest."

A priest? What kind of priest does adopts a child?

I asked him, "And why did you train that child to kill anyone?"

"No, I swear. He doesn't mean to kill anyone. I was training him to use bow arrows for emergencies. He just trained him to stun enemies, not killing them," the priest answered like traumatized.

Artemis released him, but she asked him peacefully, "That Hunter, will you take us there? He might get hurt."

The priest agreed. We went outside. And yes, I finished her staff, so I gave it to her. That staff is also half-spear, so that can take her some advantage for that.

That training place of that Hunter is just 150 meters away. A short jog can do it fast. Anyways, while walking, we asked him how he is okay. The priest told us that he lost his family by the means of Reaping Jack, during the punishment. Artemis got pity on him. As we about to walk there, we saw that young Hunter getting away. The priest knew it was danger, and he sensed that a White Mage is trying to kill him. We chased that killer.

I saw the young Hunter trying to shoot arrows, and he missed his target, and the arrows is going through us. The priest shouted at him, "Grimm, concentrate!"

He shoot his arrow, and it stunned the White Mage at last. At last, he did it.

"Father!", Grimm shouted at him. "Grimm!", the priest shouted also!

That wrings my heart. And they looked like father and son. I'm glad that they reunite again safely. Grimm thanked us to bring his "father" back. The priest thanked us also to bring him to Grimm. Artemis kept smiling with tears.

We left them as we said him a good luck. Artemis cried later on, saying, "You know what? How they're lucky. Maybe the priest had also fate and he was here for a reason. I'm glad, they're here."

Later, at the camp, we talked with our real names. Artemis is actually Maurise Ahnelia. My real name is Francis Jhackord.

"So, Francis, why did your family died?" Maurise asked me.

"I do not know how my grandmother died, but I remembered my wife and my child's death. It happened 3 years ago. It was exact 2:00 am at the morning. She fell down from the top of our condo with my daughter carrying her. Her last words are like 'You still love her, so you don't need me. I am now useless to the world, so the time is my populace of death'. A second after they died, the Plague came," I answered.

"She knew about us? She already knew from our second date? How come?" Maurise got the point. How did Jacqueline knew it?

"Maurise, you got the point. I knew you moved on when you knew that I am going to marry her. But, I think she doesn't move on," I responded.

After a long talk, we slept.

And that moment, I dreamed of something. Something with a familiar figure.

Daddy, I want you to listen to me.

It's my daughter's. I agreed to listen to her.

Stay alive. Face the Assassin. Kill it. That will change everything. And please, let our hearts become alive after recreation. That is the wish of all people for the Grail of Salvation.

Her voice faded. I kept her words. But, is she trying to say something else?