Final Wave: End Apricity

For more than twenty years, his daughter is the only one he oath to teach guns, but now, the case is different. He looked at Cleo shooting almost with perfect aim, her posture is still lacking, the way she maneuvers the weapon in her hold is still not enough and her footing still needs to be reprimanded but she managed to memorize them all. Castor glanced at his wristwatch, it's almost sunset and she managed to learn this fast. He observed her once more. Thinking about her perseverance made her threatening however, despite the lady's lacking, if she will undergo more trainings and her skills were harnessed to its full potential he is certain that Cleo Sky will be perilous.

Somehow, he did not regret anything. His pride builds up every time Cleo managed to shoot the gun without difficulty.

'You can do this,' Castor's inner self cheered silently for her.

Another hour of training and it was already six in the evening. The howling wind is very loud that they could hear it, knowing that it was already dark, a frightening realization invaded both of their thoughts. Its either the night will be peaceful or not.

Out of the blue, red vertical lines appeared interrupting Cleo's focus.

"What?" Cleo muttered with confusion.

"…They are here," Castor announced in a deep voice.

A message appeared in Cleo's point of view knocking down her composure.

[Mission: End Apricity]

[h00: m00: s59]

"Monsters within the vicinity, approximately a hundred and more," Yuki declared in distress, alarming both of them.

"Yuki," He muttered.

["How may the system help you, Castor Lee?"]

"Hand the 'weapon' to Cleo Sky."

["With your permission I, Yuki, Castor Lee's system will be giving the 'weapon' to Cleo Sky in this instance."]

Unsure of what's happening between them Cleo choose to keep her silence trying to observe Castor's actions and gestures to find answers. Within a couple of seconds, the system delivered a message to her.

Her eyebrows furrowed as crease formed on her forehead. Her eyes widen while she looks at him.

"It's yours now," Castor muttered.

She was stun for a second before she pressed the air and open the notification

[1 weapon donated]

A screen pop-up within the scale of her vision. A data of her storage, and it is not empty anymore.

[Weapon storage: 1:

-Weapon name: ARMAGEDDON

- Type: 1860 Henry Rifle (Repeating Rifle)

-Special skill/s: Limitless bullets ׀ Easy to maneuver]

[ Say the name and the system will release the weapon for you, Cleo Sky.]

"…Armageddon," Cleo muttered testing the strange name in her tongue.

Green vertical lines appeared in front of her and a long rifle with black forge steel, engraved with gold mounting accompanied by snow crystal designs with her name cautiously imprinted on it while on the other side of the gold is a Latin phrase she cannot translate—Numquam Timebunt Umbrae.

"…I never requested for this," Cleo said as she eyed Castor who was already wearing a satisfied smile.

"It's my gratitude and my apology as well," Castor answered.

She tilted her head, confuse of his respond.

"What are you talking about?" Cleo muttered nervously thinking that he is going to do something out of plan.

'Is he going to hand me out to the monster?' she thought helplessly as her body started to get cold.

"Do you understand the phrase I carved on that weapon?" he asked with a small enigmatic smile.

"That's not what I'm asking—

Yuki's alarming voice echoed the whole place making her panick.

["Monsters attacking: Two Hundred! Two Hundred Fifty! Three Hundred!"]

Red lights scattered the whole surroundings, and soon, Castor's system re-arranged the place back to Castor's shop. Meanwhile, Cleo's gaze remained on the old man standing in front of her with a calm expression.

"I will ask you again, what are you planning?" she questioned with a tone of nervousness.

"…That phrase I carved on your weapon, she always used that as a motto before she died—but the truth is she never died." He said in a flat tone that she cannot deduced his current emotion.

"…I'm sorry Cleo Sky, I lied. But I am his father, and she is my daughter, you understand me right?" he continued to say.

"…What are you talking about? What are you going to do? —

She was slowly stepping back, increasing her distance from him.

"System!" Castor called.

["I'm listening, Castor Lee."]

"Mister Lee!" Cleo called his attention but failed to do so.

"Listen Cleo Sky!" Castor reprimanded as he approached her, "Listen carefully. I lied to you. My daughter did all of these, but it doesn't mean she is a bad person—

"I don't understand—

"Listen!!" Castor interrupted her, shaking her shoulders, "She is dying but she cannot let go because the lord in this world—Ayaz, used her body as a puppet for his plans and captive her in his chamber. Listen… my daughter is weak—very weak, and I know it. Above everyone else, as his father, I understand that she wanted to have her peace but I can't do what she craves the most—

"…Death?" she whispered shivering.

Castor nods at her response while not breaking the stare.

"So you want me to… kill her?" Cleo murmured trembling.

She flinched when the old man kneeled in front of her as his shaky and wrinkled hands hold her cold and shivering fingers.

"Death is her freedom and I cannot give that…I want you to save her. Free her from that cruel being, please, please save her," he pleaded with a shaky voice, "End her for me!"

Yuki's warning brought her back to her senses. Remembering the monsters outside, her adrenaline begins to function. She held his shoulders and help him to stand.

"We have these monsters to kill first!" Cleo reminded while hearing Yuki's warning all over the heavily locked shop.

"…And, this will be what I am apologizing for, Cleo Sky," Castor responded.

"—What?"

"Yuki!" Castor called.

["Yes?"]

"Initiate teleportation for Cleo Sky," he muttered while gazing at her.

"Are you seriously going to abandon me?!" Cleo yelled in fear.

Castor let out a low chuckle.

"Silly child, I will not abandon you I just…want to end all of these," he uttered.

"What do you mean?!"

"You said you wanted to live," the old man responded with a grin on his face.

"Live, Cleo Sky." Castor declared.

She shook her head in disapproval.

"No! No! I don't want this! I don't want any of this! I don't want you to—

"Don't cry, you may think of this as a selfless act, but I'm also selfish, Cleo Sky. I'm a jerk who cannot do anything for his daughter."

"I DON'T CARE! I DON'T MIND!" She shouted her throats hurt. "…Mister Lee, please don't!" She yelled as she shakes her head in disapproval while the green vertical lines caged her away from him.

"It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay." Castor glanced at him over his shoulder. Her emerald iris shivered from his gaze making her body stiff.

'Where…Where did I saw that gaze?' her inner self muttered while her chest tightens.

His gaze is soft, warm and bringing her encouragement—she chuckled bitterly as tears flowed from her eyes.

'Ah, I never thought that I would encounter the same fate in a game—in a world of fiction.'

Now she remembered where she saw that same gaze—It's the same look her father gave to her before.

The old man smiled brightly at her, "When you meet her, tell my daughter that I forgive her, and… I'll be waiting."

"Stop!" Cleo cried hoping she could snap his sense back to him, hoping he will give her a choice.

["The system is now ready to transport Cleo Sky to the lord's location. Castor Lee's approval is needed"]

"Don't!!!" Cleo shouted while banging the cage she was into.

"I approve," Castor responded.

["With Castor Lee's approval, I, Yuki, his personal system will teleport Cleo Sky 'safely' to the designated location—despite the main system's disapproval, as what I oath with my master I will hold firmly his command and remain loyal to Castor Lee."]

After she heard the system's declaration, she was instantly blinded by the lights covering her. She could feel herself flying like a jet plane out of the speed and the heaviness of the atmosphere making her stomach churning against her. Cleo gritted her teeth while closing her eyes in anger—anger that she has no choice but to let this happen.

On the other hand, Castor Lee who remained in the same dreadful place took his weapon with a smile.

"Good job, Yuki."

["I committed a violation against the system Castor Lee, but before I shut down, command me for the last time."]

"Very well… Yuki, initiate self-destruct in two minutes."

["Self-destruct in two minutes, with your permission, I, Yuki, your personal system will do my utmost best to do what you command in this instance—Request, approved."]

"Thank you, Yuki."

["I am honored to help."]

"Goodbye."

["Numquam Timebunt Umbrae, Castor Lee. Goodbye."] The system muttered before its robotic voice became muffled and disappeared.

Castor Lee smiled, "Numquam Timebunt Umbrae." He muttered before he shoots the monsters who infiltrate his shop. He managed to kill a lot of his enemies as he thought for Cleo Sky for a second.

'Good luck, child.'

Despite his skill, he was already old for a battle and his stamina is slowly fading away, because of this weakness he has, some monsters managed to hold him still and bite him, surprisingly he endured the pain and killed some more of the monsters.

He continued to struggle against them until the set time is over and the explosion devoured him and half of the monsters.

***

Her surroundings swirl from dark colors switched to another but most of what she sees are shades of green, and the truth that she has nowhere to turn back into. The system dropped her on the cold snow as her mask falls from her face, her tears are still dripping down from her eyes.

[Castor Lee: Died]

Fighting back her emotions, she wiped the tears and stopped them from falling before she took her mask from the ground and wears it back on her face. The system successfully transported her back to the place where the sea is near and vast. The blizzard is already heavy and the snow is falling hard on her head.

Ron finally came back and stands beside her with bruises and scratches on his red-skinned-tone body. Fortunately, there is no bite mark on him.

"I'm sorry," Ron muttered, "I failed to arrive on time," he continued.

"I don't blame you," Cleo responded.

Ron flinches from her shaky and flat tone—the tone of someone who grieves severely. Cleo's woe made him curious to peek at her facial expression but it was hidden behind her mask.

Ron quiver when their gaze met.

"I'm glad you came back alive, are you injured?" she asked.

"I managed to come back without getting bitten so, I guess I'm fine, just minor scratches," Ron answered in a low voice trying to sympathize with her loss.

Cleo then glanced behind her and saw monsters running to them while Ron remained silent by her side, observing her every move.

"We must hide now," he suggested pulling the hem of her jacket to get her attention.

Her cold fingers tried to pull away his hand from holding her cloth. Ron glanced at her for a moment before he let her go.

"…Hide, Ron." Cleo announced as she faced the monsters and move forward, "Armageddon," she murmured in the cold air and a long rifle suddenly appeared waiting for her to hold.

Ron saw her grab the weapon tightly and aimed at the approaching enemies. Her long slender arms maneuver the weapon without difficulties as she increased the speed of her pace. Ron who was only watching her from behind anxiously stared at her who was walking away from where he stood and walking closer and nearer to all those flesh-eating beasts.

Cleo sensing Ron's presence behind her yelled in a furious voice that echoes throughout the place, "I said hide!"

"I know!" The little red man answered in frustration while watching her approaching the monsters without looking back at him, "If you can't hold them, don't be afraid to run away!" he reminded.

Ron remain standing on the same spot just for a short time hoping he would get a response from her, but he did not get any feedback. Feeling agitated but cannot do anything, Ron's shoulders lowered in fear and doubt while observing the number of monsters Cleo would face.

'Will she survive?' he thought as his eyebrows furrowed before he sighed and returned his gaze to her.

'It's a mistake to hope in this world. If you really want to leave this place then do not cherish people from this world, Cleo Sky. Now look at how devastated you are right now.' Ron's inner self continued to whisper in his head before he disappeared just as what she wanted him to do.