The silence after the chaos was unsettling. The plaza, once filled with screams and steel, now lay shrouded in smoke and dust. The Doctor surveyed the scene with a grave expression. Every passing second increased the risk of an irreversible alteration in the timeline.
"Listen carefully," he said, his voice firm and sharp, drawing Jack and Endeavour's attention. "We need to act now, and without mistakes."
Jack, leaning against a cannon with a bottle in hand, frowned.
"What's next? A toast to celebrate we're still alive?"
"I need you to keep Barbossa busy," the Doctor replied flatly.
Jack blinked in disbelief.
"Excuse me? You want me to mess with the homicidal bag of bones!? Do you know what happens when moonlight hits him? I'd rather hug the Kraken!"
Before he could keep ranting, a wave of heat filled the air. Endeavour stepped forward, wrapped in an aura of controlled flames.
"You will," he growled, eyes burning like embers. "Or I'll make you."
Jack raised his hands and stepped back.
"Alright, alright... no need to turn poor Jack into barbecue! I'll do it... but I hope that skeleton's allergic to my charm."
The Doctor nodded, then turned to Endeavour.
"You won't fight."
Endeavour arched an eyebrow, confused.
"Then what do you expect me to do?"
"Take Bellamy away. We can't let him cause any more changes in the timeline. Don't engage him directly—just keep him busy and out of sight. If he alters something important, we won't be able to fix it."
Endeavour clenched his fists, accepting the mission.
"I'll keep him away."
Jack crossed his arms with a crooked grin.
"And you, Doctor? What will you be doing while we risk our necks?"
"Finding someone," he answered without hesitation. "Will Turner. He's the key to solving this, even if he doesn't know it yet."
Jack scoffed.
"Again with the blacksmith? You're starting to worry me, Doc."
But the Doctor was already walking away, his coat whipping in the wind, offering no further explanation.
Jack vs Barbossa
Jack walked through the ruins bathed in moonlight, his sword dangling in one hand, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"Alright, Jack... just keep a walking corpse busy. Nothing new for you, right?"
On the other side, a laugh echoed through the rubble. Barbossa emerged from the shadows, his silhouette twisting as the moonlight touched his skin. In seconds, the flesh vanished, leaving behind yellowed bones and tattered rags.
"Jack Sparrow!" he roared, his voice hollow. "So good to see you under the moon... come to redeem yourself, or to die?"
Jack forced a smile.
"Haven't decided yet, mate. But I promise it'll be fun."
The clash was brutal. Steel screeched with every blow, sparks illuminating the empty sockets of Barbossa's skull. Jack danced around like a drunken acrobat, throwing sarcastic remarks between ragged breaths.
"You've lost some weight since last time!" he shouted, deflecting a slash.
"And you've lost your guts!" Barbossa shot back, spinning with fury.
Endeavour vs Bellamy
Meanwhile, Bellamy was tearing apart what was left of a tavern, bouncing off walls with his spring-like power. Suddenly, a stream of fire cut through the darkness, forcing him to halt mid-motion.
"Who the hell...?" Bellamy snarled, spotting the blazing figure.
Endeavour advanced, the ground scorching under his boots.
"You don't belong here. If you alter history, I'll burn you to ashes."
Bellamy grinned, thrilled by the challenge.
"Then you'll have to catch me first, torch!"
With a leap, he ricocheted like a projectile, and the hero pursued him across rooftops and alleys, launching bursts of fire to deflect his trajectory without drawing attention. Both vanished into the shadows, locked in a deadly game of speed and flames.
The Doctor
The Doctor raced through narrow passages, dodging shadows and faces, scanning for the blacksmith.
"Will Turner... where are you?"
He turned a corner and froze. Standing before him was Komatsu, panting, his face pale.
"Doctor..." he said with a trembling voice. "We've got a problem. A big one."
The Doctor stepped closer, noticing the desperation in his eyes.
"What happened?"
Komatsu swallowed hard.
"They've kidnapped three members of the TARDIS crew... Erina, Usagi... and Hauka."
The Doctor's hearts sank.
"Who has them?"
"I don't know," Komatsu admitted. "But they left a message... they said if we don't surrender, we'll all be next."
The Doctor studied him, sensing there was more.
"There's something else, isn't there?"
Komatsu nodded, fists clenched.
"Yes. They said... they have the medallion. The one that can break the curse."
The Doctor felt a chill run down his spine.
"The medallion...?" he murmured, more to himself than to Komatsu.
Komatsu lowered his gaze.
"I don't know what it means... they just said it's the key."
The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment, processing the weight of this revelation. The piece holding the balance of destiny was now in the wrong hands.
"Then time is running out," he said at last, his voice heavy. "And not just for us."