The Enchantments: Book 2 - The Key of Gandar

Chapter 28: Nightmare Island

The storm that seemed at bay for the last few hours suddenly raised its ugly head again but with a greater severity than anyone had expected. Simeneon and Fin struggled with the small boat as the waves increased in size making the act of steering extremely difficult.

"The waves are too big!" Screamed Fin as the next wave of cold seawater crashed over the side of the boat.

"We have to get to the island before the storm gets worse!" She yelled through a mouthful of salt water.

"Someone doesn't want us to get there!" Fin shouted as he pushed hard into the water with his wooden oar.

"I have a feeling I know who... LOOK!" She pointed towards the island and stared in disbelief at the incredible happenings before their eyes.

Fin gawked, "HOLY... COW!!!!!!"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the smack of a huge lightning strike struck the crest of the lighthouse, turning it into a giant glow stick. Sparks crackled in every direction reigning down upon the island. But even though the scene was awesome, one, even more, incredible unfolded just above the top of the structure. Huge demonic eyes stared down upon the small craft filling the air with frigid air and turning the waves even more rampant than before.

The fire screamed within the creature's eyes and swirling flames shot forth from bright red pupils filling the tepid sky with an eerie silence. Waves rocked the little boat and sent both Simeneon and Fin to the edges grasping on for dear life. Without warning, the laughter began to seep into the noises of the storm and the glare of the creature took pride in the devastation it was creating.

Simeneon knew they were in trouble as she peered over the side of the boat. As the waves increased in height she noticed they were heading farther away from the island. She gazed around in vain for the oars and noticed for the first time that they had been lost during the commotion of the past few minutes. With no way of steering, the storm would take them deeper out to sea and make matters worse there was something forming around the island. As the water pummeled her and Fin, Simeneon stayed vigilant and stared at the landmass. Water began to flow as quickly as rapids around the island turning everything from the shore into a giant whirlpool. Anything caught just outside the fast flowing stream was brought forward into the midst, which included the small boat and everything that the water welled up from below.

Simeneon felt her stomach drop as the surge of the whirlpool took them into its middle. Any other time she would have thought of this is one wild ride, but with the huge amounts of debris floating around them it was only a matter of time before one of these objects smashed into the weak walls of the boat.

Fin pulled himself up from the bottom of the decrepit boat shaking his head to get the stinging from his eyes. The waves were twice the size as they were before and the rise and fall of the boat made him queasy. He tried to turn to find out how Simeneon was dealing with the trouble but he couldn't make it around fast enough for just a half way around a wave hit the boat so hard it flipped the tiny craft over on its side, sending the two teenagers into the cold water of the Atlantic.

The remaining minions gathered together upon the shore to stare upon their master eyes above the lighthouse. As the hum of the storm crossed the bay, the creatures bowed in silent prayer. The 'Brothers' stood behind an outcropping of rock down by the shore and watched the minions in fascination.

The eye grew steadily in the distance drawing energy from the storm and then threw it back three fold. The 'Brothers' anxiously watched as the small boat carrying the two kids began to shake violently with the constant pounding from the waves. Seconds later the whirlpool that was forming around the island took the boat into its midst and they disappeared around the other side of the island. They had been so transfixed with the eye in the distance they forgot about the minions that were now approaching again. They shot with everything they had and when their tactics ran out they started to pick up sticks and other objects to fight the advancing minions.