BONG, BONG! BONG, BONG!
The bells sound at Saint Ursula's and the Virgins Convent. Sister Maria tightens her habit and goes to the chapel to pray. She exits the dormitory and enters the sunny courtyard.
The prayers are led by Abbess Isabella Torres. She glares at Maria. Her wrinkly, tight and stern face burns a hole through Maria, as she grovels on the ground.
Maria folds her hands in prayer, and bows her head. They begin to pray, using their rosaries, the entire room of nuns prays in unison. They are halfway through their 'Hail Marys' when BOOM!! CRACK!!!! They are interrupted by a loud sound.
Everyone stops immediately and turns. A few nuns jump from their position to see what the noise was; Sister Maria being one of them. Maria opens the door of the chapel to see the convent tower collapsing.
"GET BACK HERE!" Abbess Isabella commands. Sister Maria looks at her confused and frightened.
"Return to prayer!" Abbess Isabella orders. "The Lord shall deliver us!"
BOOM!! CRASH!!!
Before Maria can return to prayer, a cannonball rips through the wall, and through Abbess Isabella. The Abbess is split in half by the speeding stone ball.
"AHHHHHH!!" The room erupts in chaos, as half the nuns flee, while the others remain in the chapel, praying frantically.
Sister Maria is one of those who flees. She runs out and sees more cannonballs flying through the air, landing on the roof and striking the buildings. Maria looks around and sees her sister nuns scrambling. They are chaotically trying to escape through any exit they can find. Maria finds the closest door, and tries to go through it.
BOOM!
The exit collapses as a cannonball strikes a nearby wall. Maria back paddles and flees in the opposite direction. She finds a window overlooking the sea, and races to it to look out. It is a long fall into the sea below. Maria folds her hands and says a prayer, before swan diving out the window. She falls and screams all the way down. Closing her eyes, she prepares to meet her maker.
SPLASH! Maria lands in the water, and is submerged deep into the sea. She opens her eyes, and the salty sea water burns. Maria swims towards the surface. Her heavy clothes weigh her down. Maria uses every bit of strength in her to make it to the surface.
Maria rises from the sea and flails around. The sun and the sea water burn her eyes. She closes her eyes; and blindly tries to swim to land.
SPLASH! SPLASH! Maria hears screaming and the sounds of her sister nuns landing in the water nearby her.
Maria makes it to a rock jutting out by the cliffs; she grabs on and holds tight. The sounds of the cannons go silent. There are still screams from inside the convent. Along with the sounds of men yelling and laughing.
Maria hears something else. The sound of the paddles splashing against the sea water.
Maria squints her eyes open. She struggles to see anything from the salty water, but she sees the shape of a rowboat coming towards her. She waves to the rowboat.
The rowboat reaches Maria. She is grabbed by the arm and pulled in. Maria squints as she stares into the sun and rubs her eyes. Fresh water is poured on her face, cleaning the salt water in her eyes. A dry rag is thrown in her face. Taking the rag, she dries her face, opens her eyes and is able to see clearly now.
She looks around her. What she sees makes her heart stop. She is surrounded by some rough-looking men.
"Pirates," Maria whimpers to herself. There are other boats filled with pirates, pulling nuns out of the water. The girls scream and cry, as the pirates pull them into their boats.
Maria's teeth chatter, as she uses all her willpower not to panic and scream. The boat she is in, turns around and goes towards the pirate ship. It is a two-mast brig with white sails, and a menacing black flag. The black flag depicts the smiling skull of a wolf.
Maria looks away from the frightening flag, and looks back at her former home. The convent is on fire and the bells are silent. In the distance, she sees men carrying loot and nuns in chains.
Maria cries silently, as she is taken towards the ship.
CLINK! Irons are slapped on her wrists by one of the men on board the ship. He is a dark and muscular man, wearing a red bandana that covers his shaved head. He is shirtless and his back and torso are covered in scars.
Next to him is a tall and slim young man. His face is fair, handsome, and elf-like. He had auburn hair that was tied behind his head in a ponytail.
They row back to the brig and a rope ladder is tossed down. The muscular man climbs the ladder.
"Follow him," The elvish-looking man says to Maria.
Maria stares at him blankly.
"You deaf, girly? Follow." He points.
Maria shakes her head no. The auburn-haired man rolls his eyes, grabs Maria, throws her over his shoulder and begins to climb the ladder. Despite his thin stature, the man is really strong. He climbs the ladder until he gets close to the ledge. Maria is grabbed by the dark and strong man who pulls her over onto the deck, where she falls on her back. She looks up and sees pirates surrounding her; never had she been alone with so many men in her life. The men smile at her, like hungry wolves.
Maria shivers.
"Clear the deck!" a loud voice shouts. Many of the men disperse; some go below deck, others remain and surround Maria at a distance. Maria looks around and sees a large man with a huge chest and wide shoulders; thick, black hair sticks out from his shirt. His long, dark hair is tied behind him in a ponytail. He wears a tricorn hat on top of his head, with a red feather sticking out. Rough stubble covers his face. He has a scar across his chin and another on the right side of his face.
The man walks towards her and stands over Maria, looking down upon her. He grins wickedly, as Maria looks up at him, in awe of his power.
"Welcome aboard the Odin's Doom!" His voice booms in a thick, west country accent. "I'm the legendary Captain Benjamin 'The Barbarian' Rylan!"
Maria bows, out of fear and respect.