Dream of Empty Crowns
Page 27
Luckily, the red was the only part of his men they saw, the rest must have gone under, or been swallowed by the beast. The two remaining boats continued to bail the water out that had lapped over the sides. The man stood up, grasping the giant metal spear. It was longer than the man was tall, but he stood straight, feeling the cold metal slick with sea water. He stood on sure legs, riding the rocking motion, scanning for a sign of the beast.
“Fin!” A man shouted from the other boat. The man smiled. It was headed for the other boat. No, monster, come for me, he thought. He realized he was smiling as he looked at the young man with the wispy beard, his face horrified and desperate. When he saw the bare chested man looking at him, the young man's face changed to a hardy resolve. He bailed water faster.
The fin came up from the water, parting it, standing five feet above the waves. The man cranked the machine again, imitating the sound of the rotators form the airships. The top of the beast crested the water, a gray hint of the massive monster under the waves. It didn't change direction, still headed for the second boat.
“Damn you!” the man shouted, “men, row!” he commanded, as the young men heeded the command and rowed directly into the path of the fin. The man ignored the terror that gripped his crew, and raised the long metal spear. The three hooks came to a steely point, a rope tied to the end. Water sprayed as the boat rocked. The fin rose with the beast, the wings throwing sea water at them as the beast rose even higher. The second boat still its target, the man realized it was only jumping their boat to get to the other.
The beast was out of the water, using its wings to help arc the body. Just before it was directly over their boat, the man thought, you're mine now, as he flung the spear at the belly of the Jhalgon fish. It struck the beast, the hooks at the end of the great spear doing their job. The man held fast to the rope, wrapping it around his arm, ignoring the burn of the rope as it slid through his hands. He grabbed it firmly and was lifted off the boat.
Hurt, the beast changed its angle and missed the second boat. The beast and the man hit the icy waters. His bare chest exploded with a thousand needles as the beast dragged him down. The man strained his muscles and forced himself to climb along the rope toward the beast. It was dragging him deeper, but he ignored the pressure building in his head. Hand over hand he pulled himself along the rope until he finally reached the beast. He groped for his shortknife, fearing he had lost it. One hand held the rope tight as he fumbled to find the knife, ignoring the pains in his chest. He finally found it and he jammed it into the beast. Over and over again he stabbed, warm blood flowing past him from the beast as he was dragged deeper.
The man had done all he could. He let go of the rope, and used the last of his strength to push up to the light. He had no air. No, this is not how I die, but it was getting harder to think. The cold felt like knives going deeper and deeper, aiming for his heart. Still he moved his legs, pushing toward the light, the air. Just when he thought his muscles would fail him, he felt the precious air fill his lungs.
His hearing was filled with the sound of water, like the sea had invaded his mind. As he took his second and third gulps of air, he heard the cheering. The two boats were far away from him, but the shouting was fierce. It stopped abruptly when the fin appeared again. It shot straight up out of the water not far from the man. The man groped for his knife, but realized he had dropped it while searching for air and light. The fin bobbed up again, then slowly rolled to one side. The leathery wings splayed out on either side of the beast, the beast bobbed with the waves, surrounded by blood draining from its wounds. The blood reached the man and warmed him.
The great cheers got louder and became a chant, “Father! Father! Father! Father…”
The man smiled, yes, my children, let's begin this new day with blood.
END PREVIEW OF BOOK 2
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