Project A.E - Beginning of the apocalypse

The dong bell

As the village elder Bhagwad and the transport party returned to the village, the setting sun cast long shadows over the bustling community. Villagers, returning home from their day's work, paused in curiosity as they caught sight of the elder's contented expression. Anticipation hung in the air as they wondered what news he might bring from the entity's cave.

However, to their surprise, the elder remained silent as he made his way towards his dwelling, his companions trailing behind him. The villagers exchanged puzzled glances, their murmurs filling the air as they tried to decipher the meaning behind the elder's reticence. Despite their curiosity, they respected his silence, dispersing to their own homes with a sense of intrigue lingering in their minds.

Inside the elder's dwelling, the transport party awaited an explanation, their expressions mirroring the elder's subdued demeanor .

The village elder's somber demeanor conveyed a weighty burden as he faced the members of the transport party. Their questioning gazes bore into him, demanding answers that he was hesitant to give. With a heavy sigh, the elder spoke, his voice tinged with a mixture of reverence and trepidation.

"Twelve years ago, when the entity first revealed its divine presence to me, it spoke of a future that seemed distant and improbable," the elder began, his words carrying the weight of years of anticipation. "It told me of a time when it would emerge from its sanctuary and grace our humble village with its presence once more."

The men listened intently, their curiosity piqued by the elder's cryptic words. "And now," the elder continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "that day has arrived. The entity has spoken to me once more, and its message... its message fills me with both hope and dread."

The transport party leaned in, eager to hear the entity's proclamation. "What did the entity say, elder?" they pressed, their voices tinged with urgency.

But the elder's gaze turned inward, lost in contemplation of the entity's enigmatic words. "The entity spoke of a great trial that awaits our village," he finally revealed, his voice heavy with foreboding. "A trial that will test our faith, our courage, and our unity like never before."

As the weight of the elder's words settled over them, the transport party exchanged troubled glances, their hearts heavy with apprehension. They voiced their concerns, questioning the necessity of ringing the dong bell, a symbol of ominous foreboding in the village.

The elder, his expression grave, acknowledged their fears but recounted the entity's directive with a sense of resignation. "I understand your apprehension," he began, his voice tinged with solemnity. "But the entity's command cannot be ignored. It has ordered me to ring the dong bell that resides in our old temple."

The men recoiled in shock, their fear palpable as they recalled the dire consequences that had befallen the village the last time the dong bell had been rung. Memories of past calamities flooded their minds, leaving them paralyzed with dread.

The elder's voice quivered as he recounted the village's dark history with the dong bell. "I remember what happened last time, fifteen years ago," he murmured. "Outsiders descended upon us, seeking to annihilate our way of life. Each toll of the bell heralded disaster, leaving our village in turmoil."

Despite his own trepidation, the elder knew that the entity's command must be obeyed, no matter the risk. With a heavy heart, he prepared to fulfill his duty, he insisted the men to accompany him to the old temple to ring the dong.

With trepidation weighing heavy in their hearts, the men of the transport party reluctantly followed the village elder as they made their way towards the old temple, nestled deep within the encroaching embrace of the surrounding forest. Each step they took was fraught with uncertainty, the looming specter of past calamities casting a shadow over their journey.

As they ventured deeper into the wilderness, the dense foliage seemed to close in around them, amplifying their sense of unease. The ancient temple, a relic of bygone days, stood as a silent sentinel amidst the verdant canopy, its weathered facade bearing witness to the passage of time.

Approaching the temple grounds, a sense of foreboding washed over the men, their minds haunted by the memories of past tragedies that had unfolded within these sacred walls. Yet, driven by a sense of duty and reverence for the entity, they steeled themselves to carry out the elder's directive, no matter the cost.

With trembling hands, the village elder approached the imposing structure, his gaze fixed upon the looming silhouette of the dong bell that hung ominously within. As he reached out to grasp the ancient artifact, a heavy silence descended upon the temple grounds, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.

With cautious determination, the elder navigated through the dense foliage that had overtaken the old temple. The once sacred grounds now lay obscured beneath a veil of tangled vines and creeping plants, a testament to years of abandonment and neglect.

As he searched for the object used to ring the dong bell, the elder encountered a labyrinth of tangled greenery, each step fraught with the risk of disturbing the myriad creatures that called the overgrown temple their home. Snakes slithered through the underbrush, lizards darted among the shadows, and chameleons blended seamlessly with their leafy surroundings.

Undeterred by the presence of these creatures, the elder pressed on, his resolve unyielding as he sought to fulfill the entity's command. With careful precision, he reached through the foliage, eventually grasping the weathered implement that had lain forgotten amidst the encroaching wilderness.

With the object in hand, the elder braced himself for the task ahead, knowing that the ringing of the dong bell would mark the beginning of a trial whose outcome remained uncertain. With a steady hand, he prepared to sound the ancient bell.

With a deep breath, the village elder steeled himself for the task at hand, his companions mirroring his resolve as they exchanged apprehensive glances. Summoning all his strength, he grasped the ancient bell's handle tightly and, with a resolute strike, sent it tolling through the silent temple grounds.

The reverberating sound of the bell pierced the stillness, echoing through the dense forest and sending startled birds into flight, their wings beating a frantic rhythm against the canopy above. The once tranquil atmosphere was shattered by the thunderous peal of the bell, its resonance carrying far beyond the temple's walls.

The transport party, gripped by fear and uncertainty, watched in apprehension as each toll of the bell reverberated through the air, their hearts pounding in tandem with its ominous cadence. Yet, despite their apprehension, they remained steadfast by the elder's side, their loyalty to him and their village unwavering.

With each successive toll, the elder fulfilled the entity's directive, the weight of their collective destiny bearing down upon him with each resounding clang. And as the final toll faded into the ether, a sense of solemn completion settled over the group, their task fulfilled and their fate now entwined with the mysterious will of the entity.