A/N: Hi again! This is the 2nd part of the 1st chapter as promised but this is originally from the 1st part but I split it into 3 parts now. So, it's going to be 4 parts for this chapter. I didn't change this part and the next part much;only a bit of the description. So sorry guys. Be patient with me if you want to read the rest of the chapter. Don't forget to comment! So far, only sweet_me commented. Thanks, sweet_me!
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~Camille POV~
“Men, tie him somewhere outside. The rest of you can go back to your homes and—
sleep,” Septima chuckled at her last word while everyone in the room obeyed her command. I noticed that their faces were emotionless as if they were under some kind of spell. I quickly ran and hid behind a pillar which is 20 metres away from the entrance before the swarm of villagers shuffled out of the hall. There's no one else than them that's not under a spell except for
one group of people who is dragging my limp grandfather’s body.
The group of men tied Grandpa to a pillar right in front of the entrance and I almost thought that Grandpa was dead. I let out a sigh of relief when a soft groan from my grandfather proved my suspicions to be wrong. I quickly hid again behind the huge pillar before one of the men turned around towards my direction, having heard my sigh. He quickly dismissed it, probably thought it was just his mind playing a trick on him.
When the coast is once again clear, I took a peek at the group hovering around Grandpa. Septima let out a cackling laugh followed by her men. They must be laughing at her cruel joke about Grandpa. '
How can she do this? Why' I thought, enraged that I was the one who brought her to the village. They left shortly after that.
I made sure that they were completely gone before walking towards Grandpa. “Grandpa, are you alright?” I whispered softly but loud enough for him to jolt at my presence. “Oh, it’s only you”, he replied, weakly but relieved that it was only me. I smiled, relief overwhelmed me. Although Grandpa didn’t visit me at all at the mansion but I am aware of the beautiful gifts and delightful letters that he sent as apologies. I always forgave him because my mother told me that he has a big responsibility and I must understand that he wishes to visit me and my parents deeply.
“Look behind the pillar, you’ll find something that will help you cut these ropes off”, Grandpa instructed. I obeyed. I found a knife hidden under the cracks of the stone, making it almost unseen. I knew that my grandfather put it there, because in his letters he always explain how important that we must be prepared for
anything.
I sliced the ropes with ease, making me realised how sharp the knife really is. Grandpa
really is ready for anything, which means that there might be trouble. I quickly steadied my weak grandfather when he almost slipped and asked him a question that has been bothering me the most;
what in the world is going on?
“Do you know the tale of the Ancient King?” Grandpa asked. “I only know the folklore”, I replied while trying to support Grandpa’s weight. “The beast that attacks the village is the phoenix…” Grandpa said, softly. “What? You mean the folklore is
real?” I said, shocked with the discovery. Grandpa nodded.
“You came with Septima, didn’t you? You see, she’s my cousin but we’re not blood-related though”, Grandpa said, shamefully. “She’s your cousin?! Why would she want to do this to you?” I asked disbelief and anger grew inside me. Grandpa paused before answering, “That’s a matter brought up from the past that should have been
never brought up”.
I realised that there’s something in his voice that made me stopped asking questions.“Take me to the tower”, he commanded suddenly. I obeyed reluctantly. He nudged my hand indicating to bring him behind the bell tower.
“Grandpa, what are we doing?” I whispered when I helped him sit down on an abandoned wooden crate. Grandpa sighed, “Don’t your parents ever tell you anything?” I thought about that and shook my head. He sighed again as if this bothers him why my parents did not tell me. It seems that I
should know about whatever that my parents has been hiding from me. “Your parents must have a reason for not telling you, I assume but I’ll tell you this just in case. The phoenix usually attack at night. That’s
why we’re hiding, since the sun is going to set soon. The problem is;
how to stop the phoenix?” he whispered the last sentence, almost making it almost unheard. Suddenly, he looked at me and looked at the tower and at me again. “I’ve got an idea but you must do what I ask”, he said.
“Alright, I’ll do it if it can help you stop the phoenix from attacking the village”, I said honestly. “Good. Now, listen carefully. Go inside the tower and look for a red pouch on the top floor where the bell is”, he said with a cautious and urgent voice. “What will I have to do if I found it?” I asked, wondering how a red pouch can help us. “Throw it out the window from the floor below where the bell is. That way, I will know it’s you”, he continued.
Grandpa pushed me with his hand that is not badly damaged before I could ask anymore. “If anything goes wrong, stab the object inside the red pouch with the knife. Now
go”, he said firmly. This time I didn’t want to ask anymore questions probably because of the
fear that I can hear in his voice. I walked softly towards the door that leads inside the bell tower. I looked around me, making sure no one is watching me. Satisfied, I went inside and climbed the stairs that leads to the bell. I noticed there were spider webs stuck on the corners of the ceiling and dust on the railings of the stairs.
I found it a bit strange that I find no one there. Not the guards; not even the bell keeper.
‘Why would the villagers build this bell tower if they didn’t use or even step foot
in this place for years?’ I thought as I counted the windows as I passed each floor. There were two windows on each floor and there were six floors so which makes that there are twelve of them in this tower.
I paused when I felt something moved. I turned around as I took out the knife slowly from my dress pocket which was big enough and the material inside is custom-made to not be torn—or sliced with a knife easily. My mother was the one who sewn this dress. I don’t know how did she make the material this way but I don't wonder about it because it keeps me safe.
“That’s the most important thing”, she would say.
I looked around for any sign of movement but there wasn’t any. Suddenly, something scurried past me and I immediately point the knife at the creature. I paused when the creature’s eyes met mine.
I put the knife back into my pocket when I saw how silly I was when I point the knife at the ‘creature’ when it’s only a rat! I sighed, “You frightened me. I apologise for my rudeness”. The rat squeaked in reply before it scurried away. All those years of training in swordsmanship, I, Camille Blackspear am afraid of a rat!
Even though I’m only thirteen, my parents trained me in the hand of the sword since I was three. It was a difficult experience. My parents would be so hard on me whenever we’re in training. As a kid, I didn’t understand why they have to force me to hold the sword at such a young age but I went through it anyway. Like all the people that have undergone hard training for years, I became almost as good as my parents.
I continued climbing the stairs until I reached its end. I gasped when I saw a human skeleton hanging by its neck in front of me. I closed my mouth with my hand to keep myself from screaming. “So, that’s why they don’t want to come here, they think it’s haunted!” I said to myself when I saw a piece of plank hanging around its neck with a word written in blood that says "
Beware".
Then, I noticed a red object partly covered by the dark behind the bell. I gathered all the courage that I have and made my way towards the mysterious object. I walked more cautiously when I passed by the skeleton. Whatever killed that person, I have to be cautious and stay alive.
Suddenly, I heard a ‘ping’ when I took a step further from the skeleton. I ran towards the bell when I was almost shot by an arrow. I took cover behind the bell and reached for the red pouch. I snatched it quickly and ran again towards the stairs while trying to avoid the arrows flying at me.
I ran towards the stairs; sometimes skipping a few steps to fasten my pace. When I reached the promised window, I quickly threw the red pouch out of the window. I heard a soft ‘thud’ and soft shuffling steps. I peeked at the window and looked down.
I saw Grandpa gave me the thumbs-up sign and I smiled at him. I ran down the stairs again, faster with every skip. Then, I felt something strange. It’s not like one of those sick feelings you get after running around spiral steps but like something but it’s like someone so dark is watching you. I paused and looked around trying to spot a pair of eyes.
Then, I spotted them, those pair of eyes when I looked up. It’s not the fact that there’s someone was watching me that frighten me but the fact that these pair of eyes belong to someone
dead.
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A/N: Comment, comment, comment! ><
