Bell Of the Darkness

A Fated Meeting

So i have been in the process of a re-write at the start of the year and having been working on more since then. Nothing really changed plot-wise. I just paired down some of the scenes and conversations. I trimmed down some the the scene to try and make flow better. So this is my first batch of the rewrite. Let me know how I did. Better or Worse?

Orario:

Midnight cloaked the city in silence, shadows dancing on cobblestone streets with only the wind and the soft tapping of rain on stones disturbed the sleeping city.

An ancient church, weathered by time, loomed at the end of a narrow alley. Two figures emerged from the shadows of the night. A man, encased in heavy armor, and a woman, long cloak draped across her body, strode towards the church, their footsteps echoing faintly on the slick streets.

In the quiet, their eyes met, a wordless exchange. Each glance held a question and an answer, an emotional ballet illuminated by dim light—a moment poised between a choice for salvation or sacrifice.

Approaching the church, its aged doors groaned in protest as the man pushed the door open with a gloved hand, revealing the forsaken interior illuminated only by dim streetlights. Entering the church, their footsteps echoed through the vaulted room. Rain and wind orchestrated a haunting symphony.

Within the church's darkness, whispers of forgotten prayers echoed. Once-joyful memories lay in ruins. The duo ventured forth, their breaths mingling with the musty scent of old pews and faded frescoes—a melancholic tapestry.

Alfia's gaze swept the dilapidated church; her voice, tinged with remorse, broke the silence. "Is this truly what's become of her favorite place?" Her words lingered, carrying the weight of memories long faded.

Zard, a colossal figure, spoke with gruff concern. "Are you sure you're okay with doing this, Alfia?"

Her response echoed with somber acceptance, her heterochronic eyes reflecting a spectrum of emotions. "We can't go back anymore, Zard. This is the only way possible."

Alfia, clad in a gothic black dress, blended seamlessly with the surrounding darkness. A necklace, bearing a green gemstone, hung around her neck—a token of significance from her beloved twin. She was Alfia, The Maiden of Silence, once deemed the Incarnation of Talent, and a Level 7 of the Hera Familia, now standing on the precipice of an uncertain destiny.

Zard, clad in black armor and cape, stood by Alfia's side. His eyes, unwavering, bore the weight of his Level 7 title within the Zeus Familia, Zard Gluttony.

Within the abandoned church, an unspoken heaviness filled the air. Their journey had commenced, trials ahead pushing them to their limits, leaving no space for retreat or remorse.

Tears welled up in Alfia's eyes. "I have nothing left anyway," she confessed

Zard extended a comforting hand as he attempted to reassure her: "You still have me,"

Alfia nodded slowly as she admitted; "Even with you, my friend, it cannot replace all that was lost,"

"If only we could..." she began, but the words caught in her throat, choked by the past's relentless grip. Her struggle etched across her face.

Alfia's impulse was to return Zard's embrace, but she pulled away, turning her back. "Come on. We don't have much time," she urged, her footsteps echoing through space. Her voice was a directive, a reminder of their purpose. Zard, silent, watched her retreating figure—a promise to be her steadfast companion in their journey into the unknown.

As they stepped further into the forsaken church, the reality of decay unfolded. Alfia's gaze swept the dilapidated interior, and a shiver ran down her spine. The roof had collapsed, a skeletal web of timber and debris. Pews, once grand, now lay shattered as dust and splinters. Memories flooded Alfia's mind, yearning for the warmth that once pervaded this sacred place. "I don't even have this place left..."