My Musketeer (A Gusley Story)

Chapter XIV

Disclaimer: Please do not hate on this story for this is only a fan fiction and none of this is canon(except in my heart). <3

Lesley's POV,

Today feels like the day fate has dropped all of their stress and pressure on me. It was time for a monthly report on my mission which meant I had to be face to face with Duke Paxley. My reputation has never been more at stake and I've never failed in my entire life. When my father died, I vowed I would complete all of the missions I've been given until I join him in the Heavens.

I arranged myself nicer than usual, hoping to impress the Duke. I felt confident at first, but deep down in my gut, I was petrified.

I walked away from the dorms to the meeting hall. I pulled out a piece of glass to look for any flaws in my worried reflection. The strapped rifle on my back reminded me of my father when walking.

Flashback ⚜️⚜️⚜️

Nobody's POV in flashback,

Booming roars of  bullets echoed through Grandrock Castle, a city under the jurisdiction of the Vance family. The air was full of red smoke and the sky was a lifeless grey. Some buildings broke as the debris crashed down on the lives of many.

"Dad?! Where are you?!"

"Lesley, listen to me! Go with the Vance family! Take cover now!"

"I won't leave you here!"

Her dad crouched down and hugged her as the gunshots roared louder.

"I'll won't be fine if you die! You're my love, Lesley. My beautiful, talented sniper. I can't forgive myself if I ever lose you—Go!"

Lesley hugged her father back as the smell of smoke became stronger. Her dad's instinct hinted at something, he flung Lesley and they switched standing positions. Lesley wasn't sure why he did this, but her gut became tight. She coughed at the dust flying towards her.

"Argh-

Lesley's eyes widened as her father started to cough blood. His head falling on her shoulder as his weight dropped to the floor. His eyes became unconscious as he tried to mutter his last words. That only made more blood flow out as he fell to the ground, lifeless.

"NO!"

"NO! NO! NO!NO-

Lesley crouched down to her father's level. Feeling his heart and his face. She yelled. A yell full of suffering, torture, and revenge.

"DAD! NO, YOU CAN'T! NO!"

She put his hands near his heart. He sacrificed his life, he died for her. And now, Lesley wasn't going to die for him. She was furious, she wanted more than her enemies to be dead, she wanted them to die to the hands of her own.

One of the enemies approached her, aiming a gun at her.

On instinct, Lesley grabbed her dad's rifle and shot him first. The assassin fell, right next to her father's lifeless corpse.

"You all will PAY!" She roared.

Heavy tears fell down Lesley's eyes as she fired each bullet with perfect precision, hitting every single enemy effortlessly. One of the enemies fell to his knees, almost dead. Lesley was about to shoot him again until a bullet flew strait at her left eye.

She yelled through the pain, but not as loud of the death of her father. Trying to ignore agony of the wound, Lesley pulled the trigger on her rifle again as she slowly collapsed onto the concrete...

End of flashback ⚜️⚜️⚜️

A sharp pain pierced through my heart, its heavy pain flowing away in haste.

I kept walking slowly until I reached the gleaming silver doors of the meeting room with many gold flourishes that spiraled in impossible patterns. Two soldiers stood guard as they pulled the doors open to let me in. I kindly nodded at them.

My heart beat quicker. Deep breathes, Lesley.

"Ms.Vance," the Duke frowned, looking down upon me, "You're late."

"I'm sorry sir, and it won't happen again."

I never knew my thoughts could get me sidetracked.

"Enough of those promises you can't keep! You were tasked to kill my son and you failed! The great Musketeer, who has slain thousands of criminals and monsters can't even assassinate an egotistical boy with a plain knife as a weapon!"

I stayed silent as he continued shouting at me, his voice growing hoarser every octave he reaches.

"This is why more mages are needed at the Empire! We shouldn't have to waste the room for incompetent defects like you!"

He then grabbed me by the shoulders tightly.

"Listen here, Vance." He whisper-shouted in my ear, "You have one more week to complete this mission. If you fail to do so, I will make sure you will have no future and everyone in the Moniyan Empire will know that you're a disappointment. It was no wonder why you couldn't do anything when your father died right before your eyes."

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