Battle Royale: Apocalyptone

Tale 2: Chapter 2 - Missed Arrow (Redux) / About Death

We woke up and started to eat breakfast. Grimm started to ask something big to me, "I don't have any parents now. Can you be my father from now on?"

If I am allowed to adopt a child even if I am a priest, then I can do that. I cannot give him answer to that question. This is a really tough choice.

"We'll talk about it later," I responded. "As of now, you need to boost yourself for your training."

He stared at me like he needs a parent, which is exactly the thing. I asked, "Why are you staring at-"

He hugged me, very hard. He cried also, " Please, be my father. You are the only one who can protect me from danger."

I have no choice but I should help him grow up. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid," I answered. What a day of being a priest.

We saw a good tree to shoot at. I was  training him how to stun enemies, making it not in bull's eye. Easy to get it. I created some archery marks to help him shoot. I taught him how to use bow and arrows. So he tried. At first, his arrows were too low. Second, far from the marks. The third one, looks like he begun shooting so strong it reached to a military base 150 meters away from us. I told him to stay the spot. I went in the military base to see if someone got hurt. Lucky me, the arrow was placed like a museum thing. I was going to get it, but some kind of illusion trapped me. There's this Warrior and the Illusionist who are trying to kill me. I can't use my powers because of the trap. That Warrior was stupidly angry. He called me a Hunter since they thought I shot them. Then, there's the Illusionist, who give me mercy. I told them everything that I am a priest and I have a adopted son and I sweared that it was an accident. They finally released me and commanded me to bring them to the training spot. I was terrified if they'll gonna kill Grimm.

I talked them about Grimm. I told them the story, "He was a son of a happy family, but he has a hidden fear when he knew about Reaping Jack. That killed her aunt. During this war, I saw him dying on the collapsed building. His parents were dead, and I asked him why they are dead. The Assassin or the Reaping Jack killed them and collapsed the building. I do not know what will happen next. Would he be hunted by him?"

The Illusionist was terrified at my story. They already knew about Reaping Jack. I think they were terrified at him also.

About to reach the spot, we saw Grimm being chased. I sensed that it's a violent White Mage. We started the pursuit. Grimm was trying to shoot him but he shooted at us accidentally. Luckily, we are able to dodge those weak arrows.

He was about to kill Grimm with a magical blow so I shouted, "Grimm! Concentrate!". He shoot the arrow to the stomach, stunning the enemy while being thrown off very far.

"Father!", he shouted.
"Grimm!", I shouted. We hugged each other.

We thanked the Illusionist and the Warrior. They left after they said a good luck.

It was afternoon and we found a small cabin so we stayed there for a moment.

"I was going to shoot the arrow to tree, then that White Mage came to kill me. He's like slaughtering me," Grimm said.

"It's okay, at least you've done my training, my son," I responded. I accidentally slipped my mouth when I said "my son".

He smiled at me, and he said, "Even though you are a priest, you're good at parenting."

Suddenly, a sudden noise came from outside. It was a finishing blow of a Black Mage with a dark Horse. They became unconscious after that. We helped them up, and heal them.

While cleansing the Black Mage, his skin totally shocked me. He has rocked skin, like cursed. He has glowing violet scars, too. I also see an unusual symbol on his chest. It's not a tattoo, nor a magecraft emblem. It's a Satanic symbol. An Anti-Christ Black Mage. Also, his scythe weapon reminded me of Death or the Grim Reaper. He also has black combat robes. He also has the black horse with smoke surrounding him. Because of that, we hid all of the crucifix around. He may represent the Death after all.

After 10 minutes, he woke up like a normal people do. "Hello?", his first response. I greeted him with a mushroom soup. I called Grimm to eat dinner with our guest.

While eating, Grimm asked him, "Who are you? What's with that skin?"

Actually, I have the same question, too. I cannot speak it through my mouth because I tried to hide my identity of being a priest.

"I am Death, my alias. Actually, I am the last Mage blood human in this world. My powers were devoted from eternal and sinful darkness. That's why I became the Black Mage here in this punishment. I don't know how can I thank you for your gratitude," he answered.

A gratitude? I knew that those who believed and devoted the darkness are sinful, but how come he is like innocent? Is he playing with us?

"Hey, father, he is thanking us," Grimm said.

How can I speak? This is too much. I am eating in the family dinner table with a violent mage. I only simplified my own words, "No problem, just eat your dinner."

Is he spying on us? I don't want to know that he is up to something. But, as a priest, I should fear not.

"Can you create a training area?" Death asked.

Grimm answered, "But, you are a Black Mage, and you can cast spells without your scy-"

"My powers are different. It's like I am the battery and my scythe is the conductor and output of my mana. I cannot fight without my scythe. That's my passive ability," Death responded.

He is different after all.

Grimm wondered that info, "So in real life, you can release powers with your own hands?"

"Definitely, yes. Luckily, my other passive ability is that I can get my scythe with telepathy," Death answered. He was wondering where's the horse.

"Lucky, the stables at the back of this cabin," I answered like I don't care to their conversation. To be honest, that cabin is a cheat. I know some tricks that an Architect can do.

"You know what? This is not an ordinary punishment, but it is actually a death trap," Death gave that info.

Wait, what? A death trap? I asked, " What do you mean? A death trap?"

Grimm had the scared face.

Death answered, "Probably, this is a worse deal to make. Because the Plague isn't from God, actually. Even the punishment. But the Grail is real. Have you ever think of a participant who is actually the creator of this apocalyptic mess? This is not magecraft, nor a mortal thing. Also, there's only one participant who created this punishment and the Plague."

"Wild guess: Reaping Jack," Grimm responded.

Death answered, "That can be correct. Actually,  it has 3 names: one is Nekros as the alias, Reaping Jack as the popular killer in Trisonemia, and its true identity, the spirit of-"