Chapter 43: The Awakened Depths
Nathan watched the half-dozen huge lamprey-headed eels tear apart the Maelstrom ship with disgust. It was like watching a pile of writhing worms, but each worm was as thick as a four-lane highway and slick with rainwater cascading off pale wrinkled skin. The sounds of splintering wood carried through the storm, eerily reminiscent of snapping bone. He bounded up the stairs to the raised rear of the ship, joining Stella and Khashi next to Eolinne’s command throne and noting another figure sprawled against the railing with their head caved in. They wore dark leathers and still held a pair of long daggers.
Somebody who slipped past us to take a shot at Eolinne or Stella. Glad Khachi was here.
“What are those?” Nathan asked Eolinne, who was still playing a frantic tune to drive the Grace of the Winds away from the monsters behind.
She took her flute away from her mouth and inhaled deeply before responding. “That is a hydra eel, a monster of the deeps. Beware its blood, and do not cut off any of the heads.” She directed that last towards Aarl before resuming her song and driving the ship forward.
Wait. That’s a single monster? With some kind of healing abilities and toxic blood. That’s not great.
Nathan walked over to the rear of the ship and examined the monster with senses both mundane and magical. It didn’t seem particularly magical to him - just huge. The giant heads battered each other over the scraps of the ship that they’d consumed, growing fainter as the distance grew through the storm.
We’re moving pretty quick. Maybe we’ll make a clean getaway?
Nathan cursed himself a moment later as one of the giant heads turned to face their direction and let loose a keening howl before launching itself in pursuit. It surged through the water quickly, arching between waves as it rapidly gained on the Grace of the Mists. The other heads were still searching for scraps of wood bobbing in the water, and the giant worm chasing the Heirs pulled up short as the others yanked against it. But they turned to see the ship, and a second and then third of the hunting cries cut through the storm.
Nathan glanced nervously at Stella, who was studying the hydra with a curled lip.