Abyss

CHAPTER 26

Emerald eyes with such a deadly stare, slithering look piercing right through their souls made all of the men's blood run cold.

With hearts pounding heavily, the crew dashed towards the ship, their footsteps unheard through the quaking ground beneath them. The rocky terrain trembled, causing some crewmates to stumble and falter, their knees meeting the ground.

Darius' mind raced as he ordered his crewmates to keep on running. It seems that Gryndale, the large tortoise-like creature had woken up, trying to get away from the two serpents that patrolled around it, clearly awakened from their slumber right after their ship had entered the island unannounced.

It was as if it was a punishment to those who dare learn its secrets.

Two massive serpents, larger than the ship itself, emerged from the depths — their scales shining bright as silver in the scorching sun while roaming the island's edges.

One with emerald eyes in front of them and the other serpent with eyes bloody as a ruby, violently roaring from afar. There was no other information from the scrolls to help them this time. Though, these two serpents were protectors of the living island from outsiders.

"Captain!" The scream of agony interrupted Darius' thoughts as his gaze snapped toward the direction of the screaming sailor.

His eyes widened in horror as he saw the serpent swiftly snatching one of his crew, flinging the sailor into the air, before clamping his jaws tight, the sickening sound of flesh and bones echoing in the dreaded tension — tearing the poor unfortunate soul's body in half.

Darius knew that if they didn't move now, the serpents would close in on all of them and trap them and their fate would match the others.

Some of the men froze in fear, unable to move, while others tried to fight back with whatever weapons they had at hand.

The serpents struck with precision and ferocity, their powerful jaws clamping down on the unfortunate souls who had been caught in their gaze. In the chaos that ensued, several sailors were caught by the serpents' deadly strikes, their bodies falling in the waters of Gryndale.

Screams echoed through the air as the serpents' continued their hunt. The others watched in horror, unable to help their comrades as the creature continued to ravage on their crewmates remains.

"Darius, we can't just leave them!" Calista cried, tears welling up in her eyes. They had backed away and hid behind a boulder while some of the crew were behind the huge logs scattered around the rocky shore.

Darius clenched his fists in frustration and grief. He desperately wanted to save his crew members, but he knew that if they get caught, the serpents would not hesitate to end them in their spots.

"We must get to the ship. There's nothing else we could do but hope we get there in time when they aren't looking," Darius replied and ordered, his voice heavy with sorrow.

Another splash was heard, fallen bodies quickly falling from the sky and getting dragged into the depths by the serpents, leaving behind only ripples in the water. Darius, his heart heavy with grief and anger, shouted commands to his crew, urging them to focus and finally take action — telling his crew to get on the ship while the two serpents were still underneath the ocean floor.

He knew that their only chance of survival was to get the ship moving and escape as soon as possible.

As the ship's sails were unfurled and the crew worked frantically to hoist the anchor, the serpents surprisingly went back to the surface — almost hitting the wooden ship.

Their massive bodies surged through the water, closing in on the ship with alarming speed.

"Darius, we won't make it in time!" Calista cried out, her eyes wide with terror. Darius gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a solution as he stared at the rocks surrounding the place. "We have to try! Hold on, everyone!"

With every ounce of strength and skill, the crew maneuvered the ship, catching the wind and propelling it forward. The ship surged ahead, narrowly escaping the jaws of one of the serpents as it lunged at them.

The serpents, however, were relentless. Their massive bodies loomed closer, and the crew knew that they were running out of options.

"We need a plan, Darius!" Aloysius shouted, his eyes scanning the waters for any sign of hope. Darius scanned the horizon, looking for any possible escape route.

Then, he saw it—a narrow channel between two large rocks. It was risky, but it was their only chance.

"Head for that channel!" he yelled, pointing to the opening.The crew adjusted the ship's course, sailing towards the narrow passage.

The serpents followed closely, their jaws snapping dangerously close to the ship's hull.

As the ship entered the channel, the crew held their breath, hoping that it would be narrow enough to prevent the serpents from following. Miraculously, the serpents' massive bodies were too large to fit through the tight space, and they were forced to retreat.

The crew let out a collective sigh of relief as the ship emerged on the other side of the channel, leaving the serpents behind.

They continued sailing away from Gryndale, putting as much distance between themselves and the island as possible.

Exhausted, the crew took a moment to rest. They each breathe deeply as Aloysius and Darius stared at each other before standing still next to the helm, talking.

As they sailed away, the other crew members finally felt the shock of losing one of their members, mourning and weeping as the ship continued its course back to Arkenheilm.

The tragic loss of their crew members would remain in the minds of those who were in the Medusa. The mood was somber, the crew remained silent, each paying respects to their fallen comrades as they stared at the waters of the Regimere. A solemn ceremony for those who had risked their lives for others to live.

Each of them understood the risks of this expedition, but it didn't make the situation less painful as they all felt grief stricken.