Guardian's Rise (The Sons of Masguard, Book Two)

Chapter Nine

Marshall’s wounded arm screamed its complaints as he lunged to avoid the massive creature’s bite. From stalagmite to stalagmite, he leapt, shards of rock splintering around him as the swing of the reptile’s head broke through them with ease. The waters beneath became a torrent of thrashing rapids. Foam clung to the walls. All around him were scales and salt water and blinding movements. Chaos.

The creature’s head whipped to the side, its neck finally striking a column too thick to be shattered with a single blow. The force of the impact sent a shudder through cavern and reptile alike. It pulled back, stunned. Recovering, it wove its head in a serpentine gesture, seeking its prey. When its lidless eyes fixed on Marshall, the captain had fallen against the far wall in exhaustion. Head fins shivering, the beast opened its mouth – a gaping and hungry cavern all its own.

Bloodied and soaked, Marshall steadied himself, but did not move from the creature’s line of sight.

It lowered its head.

Then it charged.

Marshall stood his ground, waiting for the moment just before the creature struck. At the last second, he threw himself to the side, plunging McKinley’s blade deep into the tissue behind the reptile’s head and held tight to the hilt. A howl of fury and pain flew from its throat as its forward momentum carried it through the wall and into a separate grotto. Stone shot out in infinite directions as it thrashed, desperate to loosen this miniscule thing that had attached itself beyond reach of the reptile’s gnashing teeth. Rearing back, it threw its long neck forward and down. Marshall flipped forward, forced to release his hold on the dagger, lest he break his arms. He grimaced as he was sent flying over the monster’s striped skull.

His flight was halted mid-air when he struck against a wooden pole and fell to the ground. “Ungh!” he grunted with the impact.

When the shock passed and the air returned to his lungs, he stared between his splayed fingers to realize he wasn’t resting on the ground at all, but on the wooden slats of a ship’s deck. Pushing himself back on his knees, he stared up at the aged masts in wonder.

A… ship?

A ship!

The creature’s horrid hiss brought him back to the reality of his situation.

Though temporarily trapped by the too-small crevice in the wall, the stone was no match for the monster’s ageless strength. There was a pounding noise. Then a crack in the constraining wall. And a giant claw burst through the stone. Followed by another. Rock shards flew at Marshall and his newfound ship like a cannon volley as the creature exploded into the chamber, landing on thick forelegs with a heave and roar of primeval ferocity. Water surged in at its back and Marshall felt the ship lurch forward. The brittle vessel creaked its age, groaning from the sudden onset of motion. Shockingly, it did not sink, but rather settled into a slow drift.

Toward the reptile’s eager grin.

Marshall darted for the wheel. Muscles straining against bandages and broken bones, he pulled through the pain, emitting a wordless cry of triumph when the ship finally began to right itself. He turned into the current, pointing the old, jagged bowsprit toward the creature’s face as though brandishing a weapon. Seething with rage, the beast tried to fall back but, caught between the two caverns, it had no room to maneuver. It threw itself intentionally against the wall, widening the opening and allowing it to backtrack. Once in the main chamber, it placed a fore claw on either side of the opening and lowered its head, waiting.

“Blast!” Marshall shouted as the foremast slammed into the overhanging wall, halting the ship’s progress.

The creature was more than hunger and instinct.