Chapter 10: Bell-Mere's Journey

Chapter 10: Bell-Mere's Journey

After parting ways with Darion, Bell-Mere quietly shadowed John as he made his way towards the warehouse district.

As she navigated the maze of narrow streets, her mind buzzed with suspicion.

Recent events had only deepened her growing doubts about John, leading her to believe that he held the answers to her problems.

His every move felt calculated, shrouded in darkness.

Determined to confront him head on, Bell-Mere dashed down an alternate alleyway to intercept him before he could disappear again.

 

With a stroke of luck, Bell-Mere was able to manoeuvre skillfully and with precision through the winding streets.

From her hidden vantage point, she watched as John unexpectedly bumped into a small child.

Her hand instinctively reached for her weapon as she watched John accidentally bump into the boy and then reach for something inside his coat.

However, her movement froze as John pulled out a candy cane instead.

Confusion washed over her as she witnessed a side of John that contradicted her previous assumptions.

As Bell-Mere watched the unexpected interaction between John and the small child from her hiding place, she struggled to make sense of her conflicting emotions.

On the one hand, her image of John as 'evil' clashed with the compassionate exchange she witnessed.

Caught between her prejudice of him as the 'big bad' he was painted to be and the genuine kindness he showed, Bell-Mere was at a loss.

 

Before Bell-Mere could fully process the situation, John quickly moved past the boy and out of her sight.

Cursing under her breath, she felt a surge of frustration at her momentary lapse in judgement, realising that she had missed the golden opportunity to confront him directly.

Just as she was about to give chase once more, her attention was drawn to the child, who was secretly hiding the sweets in his hat. His actions seemed excessive for a mere treat.

 

Before Bell-Mere could unravel the mystery, a hooded figure she recognised approached the child.

Her focus shifted to the newcomer, the same man she had glimpsed through the Major's window earlier.

As the cloaked figure walked directly towards the child, Bell-Mere tightened her grip on her weapon once more, ready to intervene despite feeling overwhelmed by his mere presence.

To her surprise, the boy's reaction was different from his encounter with John.

Instead of displaying vigilance, he adopted a defiant stance, puffing out his chest in an attempt to appear more formidable than he really was.

The boy's defiance was quickly crushed by a sudden kick from the masked man, who harshly admonished him for his lapse in judgement during their mission.

Bell-Mere's heart raced as she struggled to steady her trembling hand and tried to aim at the masked figure. But halfway through, she froze, overcome by the overwhelming aura emanating from him.

Moments later, the cloaked figure ceased his attack at the sound of a faint alarm. Retrieving his pocket watch, he stormed off, leaving the child behind, indifferent to the aftermath of his ruthless punishment.

 

As soon as the figure disappeared from sight, the oppressive weight lifted, freeing Bell-Mere from her frozen state. With a sense of urgency, she emerged from her hiding place and hurried to the child's side.

Gently cradling him in her arms, she couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt wash over her at the sight of his bruises. Blaming herself for her feeling of incompetence, she decided to do something.

With unwavering determination, Bell-Mere retraced her steps to the nearest medical centre, her only focus being to get the child to one as quickly as possible.

Though her mind buzzed with questions about the masked man's cryptic words regarding the child's mission, she made a mental note to ask the boy later. For now, she realised that this was neither the time nor the place for such questions.

After several minutes of relentless running, Bell-Mere reached her destination: the city's bustling docks. Without a moment's delay, she left the child in the care of the dockter, who quickly took charge of the situation with a reassuring nod and quick reactions.

Relieved that the handover had gone without incident, Bell-Mere took a moment to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly from the exertion of her run.

Her brief respite was shattered as she scanned the horizon, her heart sinking at the sight of a dark, ominous presence looming in the distance.

A massive fleet of pirates had appeared and was rapidly closing the distance.

It was clear: the pirate invasion had begun.

Standing in the harbour, Bell-Mere felt a wave of disbelief wash over her. She had not expected things to escalate so quickly.

All around her, violence broke out. The tension in the air crackled, and the thunderous sound of boots hitting wooden planks echoed in Bell-Mere's ears like a war drum.

Amid the chaos of the raid, Bell-Mere witnessed a grim reality unfold before her eyes.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the turmoil, several smaller, more disciplined pirate crews emerged from the shadows, their actions calculated and methodical.

Eyes glittering with greed, they moved with efficient precision, systematically looting and pillaging, leaving devastation in their wake.

The once bustling dockside now resembled a battlefield where innocence succumbed to the brutality of human nature.

Caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, Bell-Mere found herself overwhelmed as attackers closed in on her from all sides.

Outnumbered and outgunned at every step, she faced enemies emboldened by the chaos, their intentions menacing, and their actions ruthless.

 

Fortunately, Bell-Mere was not alone in her struggle. Other brave souls from the dockside community joined her in the fight, their expressions etched with grim determination as they defended their homes against the invading pirates.

But as the battle raged on, it became clear that the pirates were far more numerous than expected, and reinforcements kept pouring into the docks.

Slowly but surely, the defenders were picked off one by one as they realised they could not withstand the onslaught forever. With no other option, they began to organise a retreat inland, hoping to escape the worst of the pirate onslaught.

Gathering as many people as they could, they made their way to the safety of the town centre, Bell-Mere being one of them, determined to do whatever she could to ensure the safety of those around her.

 

In the dead of night, Bell-Mere stumbled away from the chaos of the harbour, her heart still racing from the adrenaline of her narrow escape.

As she fled, a group of people followed her inland, seeking refuge from the invading pirates. Fear and exhaustion were etched on their faces, their hearts pounding in their chests as they ran from the danger.

At the start of their retreat, a dozen pirates gave chase, intent on making an example of them for their resistance and sowing fear in the fleeing crowd.

Unbeknownst to the retreating party, however, a number of elusive figures had slipped among the pirates, aiding their desperate escape and silently dispatching the pursuers one by one.

caught only fleeting glimpses of their small stature and nimble movements, too focused on survival to fully appreciate what was happening.

It wasn't until several minutes into the chase, when the pursuing horde began to dwindle and disperse, that the dockworkers realised something was wrong.

 

The group slowed their pace when they realised that there were no more pirates following them.

Confusion spread among them, their hurried steps faltering as they exchanged suspicious glances in the now silent night.

Bell-Mere's breath came in sharp gasps, her mind filled with questions.

As they made their way towards the mayor's house, each step felt heavier, burdened by the weight of their recent escape. They had hoped to find shelter there and form a makeshift militia until reinforcements arrived from neighbouring towns.

But even before they reached their destination, a sense of dread washed over them as they witnessed the distant glow of flames, far more numerous than expected at this stage of the invasion.

Arriving at the destination, their last hopes were dashed when they witnessed the town centre engulfed in flames that raged unchecked, casting an eerie glow across the night sky.

"How can there be fire here already?" A voice cried in disbelief. "The pirates shouldn't have arrived here yet," cried another, panic creeping into his tone.

Sensing the situation was spiralling out of control, Bell-Mere stepped forward to speak to the gathered crowd. "Let's try to stay calm. Are there any other large buildings nearby where we can take shelter?"

A hushed silence fell over the group as they looked around, unsure of what to do next. Then a small voice from the back of the crowd said, "What about the old church? It's big and has strong walls. Let's go there."

The suggestion drew a murmur of agreement from the crowd, the idea of seeking refuge in the sturdy structure offering a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.

 

Grateful for the suggestion, Bell Mere scanned the crowd, trying to spot the person who had spoken, but they seemed to have disappeared into the sea of people. She shrugged it off, attributing it to someone who preferred to stay out of the spotlight.

"Then it's settled, let's move quickly while we still have the chance," she declared, rallying the group and urging them to make haste now that they were no longer being pursued by pirates.

Although the situation forced them to travel further than expected, no one complained, knowing that the alternative was far worse.

After what seemed like an eternity on the move, they finally reached the ancient church, its weathered walls offering a semblance of security amid the chaos of the pirate raid.

 

The heavy doors of the church slammed shut behind them, blocking out the chaos of the outside world.

However, inside, a tense silence fell, broken only by the muffled sounds of battle in the distance. Bell-Mere's hands trembled as she leaned against the cool wood, her thoughts of hope fading in the darkness.

As the chaos outside grew, the group braced themselves for the imminent arrival of the pirates. To their surprise, however, the attackers never arrived.

Believing that the sheer number of people gathered in the church had deterred the pirates, they concentrated on fortifying their makeshift refuge, trying to block out the distant sounds of cannon fire.

Once the townsfolk had settled down, Bell-Mere breathed a sigh of relief and steeled herself to venture back out and rendezvous with Darion at the appointed time.

The brief silence was ripped apart by a deafening shockwave that tore through the air, shaking the very foundations of the building.

The powerful shockwave that followed shattered the stained glass windows, turning them into dangerous projectiles that flew in all directions.

Panic spread through the crowd as the once solid walls shook and groaned, threatening to collapse on them at any moment.

Amidst the chaos, fear gripped the hearts of everyone, their eyes widening in horror as they struggled to comprehend the enormity of the unfolding devastation. The sheer size of the explosion and its destructive reach left them stunned, unable to fully understand the extent of the damage it had caused.

Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring their vision and choking their lungs as they huddled together in fear.

The once peaceful sanctuary was now a scene of utter chaos and destruction, with the echoes of the explosion still ringing in their ears.

The earth-shattering explosion made things even more complicated, but there was nothing she could do about it. Despite feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the events around her, she refused to give up.

Looking outside, she saw a huge cloud of black smoke. With grim determination, she ventured back into the night, determined to tell as many survivors as possible about the shelter. Her priority was to reach Darion, and she pushed through the chaos, determined to find him amidst the turmoil.