Serina finished cleaning the place up, while Seleece and the quadruplets killed time by playing cards, with the former still smoking cigars.
Brushing her hair with her bare hand, and taking a large gulp of ale, she threw down her cards along with two gold coins.
"I call win. Fork over the cash, bitches."
Lenuh thrust her cannon towards Seleece, and the latter did the same, both glaring at the other.
Lenuh coiled her finger around the trigger, a scowl formed clear on her face.
"Well, ain't you a cocky one. Shut your mouth and siddown!"
Seleece blew smoke to the ceiling, and sat down again, clearly not in the mood to start another fight, and emptied her tankard.
A few minutes has passed, and all 5 put down their cards, everyone except Seleece had a serious face.
Standing up and patting her lap, Seleece stretched out her hand.
"Aight, pay up, bitches. Told ya, I win."
The quadruplets each forked over 2 gold, with Lenuh almost earning a backhand from Seleece, if not for Serina blocking the attack with no more than her index and middle finger, her left arm outstretched.
"I'm afraid this inn has a ban on attacking other customers, ma'am."
Seleece scoffed, and yanked her arm away, rubbing where she was grabbed, a frown on her face.
She sat in a corner table, and began checking her equipment, shooting a glance and motioning to Serina to come over.
As soon as Serina came close, Seleece slipped a note to her hand, and secretively pointed outside.
"As soon as everyone's gone, meet me at the square. I have someone you have to meet."
Serina nodded, and fixed her hat as she walked towards Seleece.."Also, dress differently. Can't have anyone blowing your cover as a human boy now."
Serina's eyes widened, surprise easily readable, but nodded in agreement nonetheless.
Flipping the sign on the door from "Open" to "Closed", she put away the dishes and cleaning tools to where they belong.
Going back to her room, she took off the hat and let her hair down, the silver-gray hair reaching down past her waist.
Changing to a dark blue long skirt that reached half her legs, and a clean plain-white button-up top, with long sleeves, the cuffs open.
Picking up a light pink ribbon, she tied her hair, looked at the mirror, and gave herself a smile.
She really did look like any other girl, save her eyes, which were mismatched.
Leaping out the window, she began running towards the east side of the square.
She would find out why Seleece knows her, and take grasp of all the answers to her questions, from her dying breaths, if need be.
Closing her fist and forming a knuckle, she came to a halt as she saw Seleece standing in the middle, looking at the full moon.
"So you actuallly came. Good, your reunion will come soon."
Serina frowned, confusion clear on her face.
"Reunion? With who? Why do you know my true identity?"
Seleece walked towards her, a sad smile on her face than the usual scowl.
"For I have arrived from the future."
"Or so what all of you say. You'd have to forgive me for not naively devouring every scrap of information you toss my way."
"I have watched you die, many times, and seen the world end many times as well. It is your father that brings the end of everything, as soon as you do."
Serina's eyes widened with surprise, yet kept her frown.
"What do you mean, Daddy ends the world?"
"Look around you."
And Serina did, visually scanning the area.
Scattered around were corpses of guards, seemingly ripped apart with great force by something.
And an Alfredo, modified, with sharp claws replacing its fingers and a cannon on each shoulder stepped forward, blood dripping from the claw's tips.
"My God. . . Why did you do this!?"
Seleece went in front of Serina, and lightly embraced her.
"For I serve your father, and thus, only want your safety."
Her eyes widened as Seleece's tears drenched her shirt.
"U-um. . . Seleece, c-calm down. . ."
It did little to calm down the small figure hugging her by the waist.
The light sobs resembling that of a child's tugged at her heart, and she embraced her back.
Seleece began wailing like a hurt child, and hugged her waist tighter, her face buried on Serina's shirt.
Tears threatened to flow from her eyes, as she tried to comfort the crying child.
This visage being what was underneath that tough and rough exterior she puts up with everyone.
Patting her head ever so gently, and giving her a warm smile, Seleece's crying slowly went back to light sobs.
Her Alfredo slowly approached, its orange eyes giving a somewhat warm glow, the blood-soaked claws sprang back inside the knuckles.
The hatch opened, and revealed a beautifully gruesome inside.
A pale-skinned, limbless body was inside.
The eyes were gouged out, wires running through the eye sockets, evidently wired directly to the brain.
In place of the arms and legs, cables both thick and thin went through.
Its flesh had punctures here and there, wires running underneath the skin and through the holes.
The heart is exposed, connected to the machine to serve as its core, and so was the brain.
And the mouth along with the nose was covered with a wired mask, allowing it to breathe.
The body's mouth moved, and a familiar voice escaped from it.
"My. . . daughter. . ."
Serina's eyes widened in terror, as she clamped her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from screaming.
Seleece moved a bit away from her, and looked at the warped figure inside the machine.
"This is and yet is not Rothius, your father. He's from another timeline, one where I first appeared. Only a week left until the world ends."
Serina looked at Seleece, and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"What do you mean 'a week left until the world ends'? Explain it to me!"
Seleece gave her a sharp stare, and lit up a cigar.
"This is the start of the countdown. 6 days later, your father-"
A metal hand stopped her, and the figure within spoke.
"Allow me. . . to explain. . ."
The machine stepped forth, and the figure spoke.
"Serina, my child. . . I don't. . . have much time. . . so listen well. You must stop. . . this timeline's me. . . before he destroys the world!"
She began crying, tears slightly blurring her vision, but nodded nonetheless.
"Very well. . . I trust your judgment. . . and leave you to decide the fate. . . of the world. . ."
With a loud bang, the machine's body closed, and resumed its duty to guard over its master.
Around the same time, an airship docked in the port.
Rothius, having slaughtered the other passengers, had walked into the port alone, his hands and feet shifting to their human form.
His armor followed the change, turned to clothes, his cloak shrank to a mere scarf and fused with his faceplate, wrapped around his neck, covering his mouth.
The shoes of his armored greaves returned as he walked, his steps breaking the damning silence.
His flesh returned to the color of the living, and he began looking like any other man, save his silver-gray hair, and the band tying it, as it swayed in the night air.
As soon as he turned on the corner, a guard called out for him to stop.
"Identify yourself!"
Rothius spared a glance, and said his alias.
"A mere traveler. Let me through."
As soon as the guard turned his back, a cold hand gripped his head and snapped his neck.
A sadistic smile crept along his face, clearly enjoying the night air.
His thoughts strayed towards his daughter, as his eyes glowed red.
Squinting his eyes and readying himself for a long night of sneaking and murdering, his cloven hands and feet returned.
"Be patient, Serina. Daddy's home."