Captain Gao's surprising declaration froze Lucille. Her mind reeled back to the day she received the report of her father's demise.
He, including most of his teammates, had fallen victim to a horde of zombies. When the rescue team arrived at the site, barely skulls or bones could be recovered.
The only things Lucille received were her father's esper badge and wedding ring.
"W-why?" She forced herself to stay conscious, her chest and throat tight with both pain and disbelief. "Captain… Gao… why?"
All this time, Lucille had accepted the fact that her father had left as he died a hero. She had grieved and honored his sacrifice, understanding that his death was inevitable.
But now…
"Ugh—!"
Lucille sucked in a sharp breath; a jolt of pain radiated from her back as more blood seeped out. She could feel the odd, violent changes within her.
Something was wrong. Her ability core was now damaged. Her gravity power rapidly leaked from it, like sand slipping through fingers.
"There's no why." Captain Gao's laughter deepened, watching her writhe in pain with amusement. "I just felt like it."
Ian and Danny stood upright by his side. They remained unfazed as if they hadn't just witnessed their captain harming her.
Lucille pressed her trembling hand against the ground, trying to rise. Her strength slipped away with every second. Anger surged within her, blazing in her eyes as she glared at Captain Gao.
"He trusted you!" she cried, voice hoarse. "You're his comrade!"
He simply shrugged, clearly not affected by her anger at all.
"Anyway, you did well, Lucy." Captain Gao sneered. "Without your ability, we couldn't have located or unearthed this relic. As expected... the key is your gravity resonance."
Lucille's limbs shivered. She tried to summon her gravity power again, but nothing came.
Her power and strength kept bleeding out of her. She fell back on the cold ground, lying amid the skull and bones.
"You—!" Lucille panted, fury overtaking her sense of pain. "What did you... What have you done?!"
Captain Gao crouched beside her, raising the dagger in his hand. The blood dripped from its pointy end, falling onto Lucille's face.
"This can break one's ability core. As for this one," he pried the metal from her grip while talking as if discussing the weather. "This is crucial for humankind's survival. But it only responds to a high-ranked gravity esper. We have to sacrifice you."
"Y-you... You're insane! You killed my dad! You betrayed me too! Argh!"
Lucille forcibly grabbed Captain Gao's collar, but Ian mercilessly kicked her body. She hollered in pain. The sound rumbled through the cave.
Captain Gao calmly stood up. While adjusting his collar, he gave Lucille one last look.
"Thank you, Lucy. It's a cruel world now. I wish you safe passage across the Yellow River to meet your father. Oh…" Captain Gao paused, a strange smile creeping on his lips. "Tell him thank you."
Lucille struggled to breathe. "W-what… What other shitty thing you want to say now?"
"Oh, little girl, don't be too mad." The older man snickered. "I still have to thank him. I won't stay alive without his sacrifice."
"You—! ARGH!"
Ian kicked Lucille's already fragile body again. More piercing pain flared all over her body.
As she endured the excruciating throbbing, her vision slowly dimmed. The cold seeped into the bones as her blood continued pooling beneath her.
"No… You won't get away!"
Lucille stretched out a hand, desperate to pull Captain Gao to hell with her. But he simply turned to leave, followed by his subordinates.
Lucille laughed angrily, tears of exasperation rushing down her face.
Was this how she would die? Right after learning that her father was pushed to death by a comrade he trusted?
NO!
She wouldn't accept this!
Lucille forced herself to sit up, but the agonizing ache dragged her down. Struggling to breathe, she crawled toward where Captain Gao was heading. His footsteps rang clearly in the cave.
Then, she saw it.
A blur of motion of a tall shadow surging into the chamber, followed by the frosty air of a winter night.
"ARGH!"
"An ambush?!"
BAM!
The three men barely had time to react before a crushing blow sent them flying into the stone wall. The cave shook, and then rock and dust rained to the floor.
Lucille's eyes widened slightly, lips parting, but no voice came out. She saw the man trap the three traitors in blocks of ice before rushing toward her.
"You can't die!"
His cold, desperate voice pierced through the cave, jolting her out of her fading consciousness.
What happened next was a blur to the weak Lucille.
She felt the man lift her ever so carefully, forbidding her from dying again and again. Through her hazy gaze, she was surprised to recognize who the man was.
He was Ashrik Zhai, or infamously known as the Frozen Hell Yama. More than anything, he was her best friend's elder brother.
"...why are you here?"
Lucille coughed. She felt her shirt get wetter with every drop of blood she lost. She saw Ashrik move his lips, but....
His voice no longer reached her as her eyes drooped shut. She lay limply in his arms.
"LUCY—!"
Ashrik's voice cracked, raw with terror, once Lucille closed her eyes. Blood had stained her lips and chest. His hoarse cry trembled through the air.
Her blood seeped between his fingers. He called her again, desperately pleading under the sound of her weakened heartbeat.
They had just met again! He wouldn't let her die!
'Lucy, you can't die!'
He put a finger, slightly trembling, under her nose. His eyes widened.
Alive! She was still alive! Her breathing was weak, but she was still far from the gates of the underworld!
"Hazel!" Ashrik roared, his voice thundering in the cave.
"Coming!"
A young lady with a high ponytail sprinted toward Ashrik and the unconscious Lucille. Behind the former, a young man handled the trio who were encased in ice blocks.
Except for Captain Gao, Ashrik's subordinate dragged Ian and Danny out of the cave.
Ashrik carefully laid Lucille on the ground, his body shaking from fear. Then, his gaze drifted to the skull and bones nearby.
His breath hitched, and the rim of his eyes reddened. Hesitantly, he reached out for the skull, the tips of his fingers quivering.
'Vivi, my only sister… I'm sorry.'