Denise had never heard of a fire-breathing sea monster. Apparently, by definition, a boiling seas leviathan did exactly that.
She screamed.
"Watch yourself, kiddo!" Millard grabbed her by her collar and tossed her out of the way.
The monster was probably the size of the ship, and Gunther was right to call it angry. It was vicious, lunging and blasting fire every chance it got. Its flippers kept slapping the side of the ship, making everything rattle.
Sebastian was clinging desperately to the cannon, riding it as it rolled back and forth across the deck, only holding it steady when Big Man or Paul brought another cannon ball.
Millard, Jackal, and Tommy had rifles, which seemed to be doing little to nothing to the leviathan.
North was, of course, trying to just steer the ship, occasionally calling out commands, although everyone seemed to be paying more attention to Possum's screams from the crow's nest.
Lawrence was swinging around the top of the ship, off various ropes and his mysterious baton-grappling hook-thingy. A few times he'd tried to snag the leviathan itself, but had yet to do so successfully.
Gunther seemed to be doing the most. Every crack of the whip brought the leviathan's attention back to him, and the monster seemed hesitant to use fire against him.
"Come on, big Mama! Show me what you got!" He screamed.
It stopped and stared him down, as if calculating the risk.
Lawrence took the opportunity, and this time the wire from his baton wrapped tightly around the leviathan's throat. "Got it!"
"Don't let it pull you!" North yelled.
The Leviathan reacted, yanking away. The wire started to cut in. A horrendous shriek rattled Denise down to her bones.
"Come on, keep tugging!" Lawrence had a death grip on the mast, both legs wrapped around it and his free hand clinging to the ladder.
"Lawrence!" Gunther screamed.
The leviathan inhaled deeply.
Only a second later, a blast of fire hit the mast. A string of curses went up from all members of the crew.
"Help!" Lawrence shrieked, flying through the air as he still clung to his baton.
"Gods dammit!" Gunther dropped his whip and took off running.
"Get 'im!" Sebastian bellowed.
"Don't let go!" Gunther screamed.
"Like I've got a choice!" Lawrence screamed back as the Leviathan whipped him around.
Gunther hit the edge of the deck and leapt, catching Lawrence midair. Only a second later, Lawrence dropped onto the deck, leaving Gunther clinging to his weapon instead.
"Stay out of the water! Y'ain't boil-proof!" Sebastian bellowed.
"I'm trying!" Gunther screeched back as he continued to whip through the air. Finally, he swung close enough to the ship that he could catch a rope, and only then did he stop, stretched between the ship and the leviathan. "If you're gonna shoot it, shoot it now!"
The monster continued to thrash, but each tug only made the wire cut deeper. A firework went off, hitting the leviathan in the face.
"Jackal!"
It screeched and submerged, tugging Gunther closer to the water. "Lawrence, how do you retract this thing?"
"I'm coming, hold on!" Lawrence was, in fact, starting to shimmy along the rope Gunther was clinging to, trying to reach the first mate.
YOU ARE READING
The North's Galleon
FantasyWhen a young girl going by the name of "Denise" finds herself on the run, the fastest way to safety is by boat, and with the help of First Mate Gunther and Second Mate Lawrence, she's soon stowed away aboard a mysterious ship and on her way. But leg...
