Oldhollow and the Seaworm of Gallus Page 3

  Norris cackled at the woman’s words and replied, “Oh is that so, Sav? You have no bargaining power here!” Sav spit towards him as he dodged the projectile. Norris retorted, “Your teeth are going to be very valuable in building this dam up!”

  Sav bit back, “What dam? What does this even mean, you idiot?”

  Norris, offended, puffed up his chest and replied, “The dam is a place where His Lordship plans to raise an entire army of other seaworms. Teeth are his choice of tool. The Lord has collected thousands of tiny seaworms which are in rock pools near it. With this dam, the magic from the fairies and the collected teeth will greatly speed up the incubation period." Norris then turned around on his heel and headed back to the top deck.

  Sav waited until she was sure the zorgo that once worked at her tavern was gone. She then pulled out a small ruby which she kept in a hidden pocket of her skirt and a small tuft of fur. Looking into the ruby, Sav muttered an incantation and waved her hands over the jewel. A moment later, the natural reflection of the ruby faded as the sight of something else took form within: the sight of a cat and hamster.

  Bailey and Neo were perched atop a cliff, looking down into the sea where it narrowed into a strait.

  Some sort of structure was jutting out of the surface as Bailey said to Neo, “Something’s down there. Looks strange.” The structure was white and looked solid, spanning the length of the strait as fairies and halflings working on constructing and enchanting it. The fairies and halflings all seemed exhausted, cold, and malnourished; their bodies were shivering, extremely lean, and disheveled. Neo thought to himself that the beings were likely there against their will. This area was undoubtedly the spot where Sav had instructed them to go.

  The surrounding mountains were covered in snow, with little life around as a light dusting of snowflakes cascaded around the cliffside. The crisp scent of saltwater carried high to the cat and hamster as Neo said, “Indeed. This must be the location Sav was speaking of.”

  A ruby, which was now worn where Neo’s protective amulet once lay, began to glow. A familiar voice asked, “Neo, Bailey? It’s Sav. Are you there? Are you safe from prying eyes and ears?”

  “Sav, we’re here,” Neo replied as Bailey took the ruby from the necklace and held it before the duo.

  “What’s your status?”

  “I’ve been taken hostage aboard the seaworm’s ship,” Sav told them, a worried tone in her voice.

  Neo, now unsettled, asked, “How?!”

  “Norris Nobbler sold me out. Turns out he’s been working for the seaworm all along! They’re now finishing up a dam made of the teeth of countless beings that will spawn his army. From what I surmise, it’s not going to be long until they succeed.”

  Bailey exclaimed, “That’s not good at all! Listen Sav, we’re going to come rescue you!”

  Sav replied, “I appreciate the sentiment, but the ship is currently still at sea. There’s a formidable crew aboard, as well as the ship being well-armed. You’re better off trying to rally people and stopping the ship.” Sav gasped and the two heard footsteps on the other side of the scry spell, followed by the sight of Sav being replaced by the natural shine of their jewel.

  “This is bad, Bailey,” Neo said in low voice as Bailey balled his hands into fists. Anger rising in his voice, he replied, “We have to rescue her. No way can we just leave her.” As soon as the words left his mouth, a ship appeared around the bend that led to the mouth of the strait in the distance. Bailey and Neo took cover and watched as the ship made its way into the strait.

  The ship slowed its speed as it glided across the water, oars working in perfect timing to slide the vessel forth. Bailey and Neo got a better look at the ship as it came through the strait and saw a giant worm standing at the helm. Bailey whispered in shock, “That must be the seaworm and the huge ship Sav is captured on! We need to save her!”

  Neo put a paw in front of Bailey and responded, “We need to plan. Rushing in blindly will get us captured as well.” Assessing the ship, Neo scanned the deck to find only a few watch-standers about. The crow’s nest had a human manning the spot and using a spyglass to search the area.

  Neo saw a surprisingly small amount of personnel manning the rails as he said, “Okay, there’s few crewmates on the top. We can flank through the rocks near the water on the starboard side, float across on one of the floating logs, and sneak aboard.”

  “Very good, let’s get moving,” Bailey replied as the two began a stealthy approach down the cliff. Both moved with silent fluidity and swift ease, Neo and Bailey being dexterous animals, as they made their way down the chilly, treacherous rocks. Once at the bottom, they dashed from tree to tree, taking cover and glancing to check the surroundings before moving to the next. The two left little tracks as they closed the gap to the bank of the strait.

  Once there, the two pressed against a fallen tree and could see the ship was only a matter of a hundred yards away or so. As they surveyed the area, the duo spotted a rowing boat at the shore.

  Neo whispered to Bailey, alarm in his tone, “Something’s not right. An unmanned boat is there. We may have company.” No sooner than he said that, a crack of a twig made the two jump and turn around. Neo dodged in the nick of time as a spear thrust forth where he had just stood.

  An insectoid the size of a human dashed forward and thrust its shield out to the black and white cat as Neo used his feline reflexes to dodge again. Bailey jumped in place and responded with a barrage of thrusts from his sword to drive the shield bug back. Neo dashed up to the bug to aid his friend, leapt in the air, and brought a mighty iron claw down, clashing with the shield of the bug. Bailey and Neo pushed a tandem assault with various team attacks that had felled many a foe in the past. The shield bug could barely keep up as it hunkered back behind its shield and held position. Neo sent Bailey skyward with a spin and whip of his tail; Bailey readied his sword for a powerful slash. A sharp spearhead sliced Bailey in the side from behind and knocked him out of his leap.

  Crashing to the ground, Bailey was shaky to get up as a shield bashed him in the face. Blood ran from his mouth and side, staining his white and brown fur as he turned to see two more shield bugs already on him. Neo dashed to tackle one of them and thwarted another hit, only to have the wind knocked from his ribs as the other caught him in the side. Neo and Bailey stood back-to-back and prepared to make what was going to be an assault of utter desperation as the two charged the three deadly shield bugs; the battle didn’t last long. By the evening, a rowboat of shield bugs was taking the fallen heroes to the ship. Not far from where the battle ensued, the seaworm checked the surrounding area on foot with two other shield bugs, their burning torches glowing eerily along the rocks during their ascent up the mountain for any more signs of intruders.

  Chapter 5 Trapped

  “Before we leave, Gracie, do you remember when we were young?” Sav said to her as she nodded in the direction of a zombie-looking creature sitting at the piano and a shape shifter holding dragon bones in her hands, ready to hit them on skull head drums.

  “I do! It’s been so long since we made that song up,” replied Gracie, her face lit in delight.

  “Well, now it’s time everyone heard it,” smiled Sav.

  Bailey and Neo looked at each other, Neo’s eyes narrowing in curiosity whilst Bailey’s grew. Turning to the hamster, Neo warned, “I swear, by all the paws of my fallen comrades: if you get out of your seat, Bailey, I will strike you down myself.”

  The intro of the song started, and the zombie was magnificent in his playing of the keys. Whether this was because he had been undead for thousands of years and had endless practice, nobody knew, regardless, Bailey’s little hands were already tapping on the table.

  Sav and Grace stood at the front, each holding what looked like a large twisted shell as Gracie, realizing Sav taught her tavern musicians the song, said, “This is Dance Donkey!” and began to sing.

  It was an unusual sound that filled every corner of the tavern
room, but it caught everyone’s attention. All had stopped what they were doing, bewitched by both voices - apart from Bailey, who was now standing at the back of the room with a beaming smile on his face.

  “Curse you, Bailey,” Neo muttered, knowing what was about to happen. Bailey had done this before, but not in this tavern as they had never been there. Neo worried how it would go down and sunk deeper into his chair

  “I see you… I see you... I beg to see you dance! Dance for me! Dance for me!” the two friends sang together.

  Bailey was now in the middle of the room, dancing as though he had received a 50,000-volt shock running through his body, his little arms zig zagging in front of him, tail wagging, and his face with dozens of silly expressions. Neo had sunk further into his chair until only his ears were visible.

  The tavern came alive as a two-headed troll gripped both arms of his chair and swung his heads around in a circle, sending food and drinks flying everywhere. Sav and Gracie were lost in the moment as the men who had been playing cards were now in the middle of the room, standing in single file with hands on one another’s shoulders, doing a strange march that had their arms and legs sticking out. Bailey was everywhere on the bar and tables, doing his electric shock dance. He had even added a twitch into the mix.

  The singing eventually stopped, and Bailey was still in full dance as cheers and shouts echoed around the tavern. Drinks were spilled everywhere, as roaring chants of “Encore! Encore!” thundered in the tavern. Gracie and Sav embraced with wild smiles on their faces, Neo only just starting to pull himself up from the chair.

  “Now, we’ll be ready for whatever happens tomorrow my friend,” said Sav.

  Gracie came out of her reverie, recalling the song and dance from the tavern as she pulled a prismatic stone from her pocket. Gleaming in the hazy, humid swamp she was in, Gracie held the stone close, hoping that what her father told her about the Springstone was true; that it was a summoning stone for a guardian.

  Grasping her pendant, she reached across the ether and magically called to Sav. A moment later, Sav’s face appeared on the ruby. Gracie was surprised, “Sav! How are things? Are you holding up okay? I got the Springstone.”

  Sav replied, “Things aren’t looking good. Remember how I told you Norris sold me out? The seaworm of Gallus ended up capturing Neo and Bailey, too.” Gracie’s heart immediately sank upon hearing the news.

  “They were captured?!” she cried, fear rising in her voice.

  Sav answered, “Yes. They tried to rescue me but were sadly defeated at Frostfall and taken aboard. They’re safe for now, but in rough condition.”

  Gracie paused for a moment, a feeling of dread seeping in before clearing her throat and replying, “I’m coming to rescue you all, then.”

  “Gracie!” Sav exclaimed, keeping her voice down. “Neo and Bailey are strong, and even they couldn’t take down the seaworm’s royal guard. You’re just one - and nowhere near as experienced! Don’t get caught up saving us!”

  Gracie, resolve hardening in her heart, said, “I’m coming to get you all. I won’t leave you behind.”

  Sav paused, then muttered, “If you think you can, we’re still in Frostfall, where the dam is almost complete. If you can find a way, then do it. Please, be careful.”

  Over the next few days, Gracie made her way through the swamps to Frostfall and made her ascent up some of the snowy peaks, following the mountain paths there. At the summit of a smaller mountain, she made out a ship moored in a strait in the distance. She was closing in; Gracie made haste and began down the mountain.

  As she did, she saw a shield against a tree in the snow and smiled. Picking it up, it had a strange design in the centre: Gracie cared not what kind it was, only that she was lucky enough to find it. She flipped the defending side down, took a small running start, jumped, and landed on her bottom as the shield took off in a slide.

  Gracie took out her survival knife so she could stab it in the ground to turn on the descent, effectively giving her some control of the sled ride and gaining speed. The chilling snow and wind bit at her face as Gracie was on a full rush to get to the bottom and the strait of water. What would’ve taken much longer and much more energy the old-fashioned way was only a matter of minutes for Gracie flying to the bottom. With only the brief woods to cross to the strait, Gracie moved onward and soon found herself at the water’s edge.

  Cupping her hands, Gracie cried out, “HEY! HELP! I SEEK PASSAGE!” On the ship, one of the shield bugs took note and got two more as they rowed out to get her. They took her without words once they reached the embankment and rowed back to the ship. A series of lines with hooks dropped over the side; the shield bugs hooked the lines to the pad, eyes on the bow and stern, and hoisted them up.

  Once up there, they grabbed Gracie and brought her on the ship. As she made her way with her forceful escorts, she saw the seaworm with a host of other guards, as well as Sav and an injured Bailey and Neo.

  Gracie gasped as the seaworm gurgled, “I heard your conversation with the witch; figured I’d have them see you one last time until I send them over the side. Once, of course, I get their teeth. Any last words to say to your friends?”

  Gracie quickly reached into her pack, pulled out the Springstone, and cried out the word her father taught her, “LAQUASTAS!” A shrill, piercing shriek was heard in the sky as everyone turned their attention upwards.

  A light tore open the grey clouds above as a figure came into view, picking up speed towards them. The seaworm shouted out, “Archers!!!”

  The archers took aim and loosed a volley as a man’s voice boomed with raging anger, “LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALONE!” A large Hen Harrier was diving in, its white feathers shimmering as it avoided the volley of arrows with unmatched agility.

  A man sat astride its back, hurling ice spears and fireballs at the archers. Several archers fell to the wayside as Bailey cried, “Laquastas, guardian of the sky!”

  Neo also cried out, “And elven high wizard Marcendes!”

  Gracie added to the revelation, a wide smile forming, “Father!”

  Laquastas smashed down onto the deck and immediately went after the seaworm as Marcendes, clad in bright orange robes and wielding a wooden staff with a green orb embedded on the top, joined his daughter. Elven ears pointing through his white hair, this was indeed Gracie’s father. Her father said, “Cut the binds on your friends!” Gracie immediately dashed for Sav, Bailey, and Neo, taking her knife and slicing off the ropes that held them to the mast.

  Now free, Sav and Gracie embraced, Gracie cried, “I was so worried!!!” Looking around, she didn’t see Neo and Bailey at the mast anymore. Instead, they faced down the trio of shield bugs that took them prisoner before.

  Both had furious looks on their faces as Bailey said, with a surprising amount of grit in his voice, “We may be injured, but I think we deserve a rematch. Neo?”

  Neo growled, “Oh yes. I think we do.”

  As the wizard subdued the other attackers with a slew of ice spears flying from his hands, Neo and Bailey wasted no time in attacking the shield bugs. Dodging spears, the two split up and flanked one, Neo disarming one with a swat of his iron claw and Bailey following up with a stab in the head.

  Dropping to the deck, Neo grinned and said, “It’s two-on-two now, a fair fight. Let’s see what they’re made of.”

  Neo and Bailey remembered the spear and shield techniques the royal guard bugs had used from last time and were able to fend the attacks off with much success. Bailey mounted atop Neo as the two became a single fighting unit. One of the bugs was having trouble fending off Neo’s claws while taking slashes from Bailey’s sword above. No matter where it blocked, Bailey would strike the opposite. The second one went to assist and charged from the side as Bailey jumped into the air, kicking the shield bug back. Now with one wounded, Neo swept a leg and delivered a series of blows that slashed the guard’s face to pieces. A spear jutted out to hit Neo’s flank as Bailey used his sword to parry downwards
, step on the spear, and counter with a finishing blow to the neck, severing its head.

  Marcendes took down the last of the crewmembers aboard as Laquastas clutched the seaworm in a bloody grasp, followed by a barrage of brutal pecks. The seaworm, looking very much lifeless and torn apart, was being hauled off by the mighty Hen Harrier as it took flight and headed off. Norris Nobbler - the zorgo that was pulling teeth from victims - despite being wounded, took aim at the departing hen. He raised his bow and nocked an arrow, only to get smacked in the back of the head with a wooden pole and sent flying over the side. Behind, an ogre missing some teeth smiled a bloody smile, exacting vengeance against his captor before he too fell from massive injuries.

  The group gathered at the mast as Gracie and Marcendes embraced tightly. Neo said to Bailey, “I didn’t know Gracie was his daughter. He’s a legendary wizard known for his enchanting and elemental prowess.”

  Sav said to the two, “We have to stop the dam from incubating!” As she said it, a smashing sound was heard towards the bow. All members ran to the bow only to see an emerald golem smashing everything it could to bits.

  “I had my creation come to this area to destroy the dam,” Marcendes explained. “I had to find Laquastas to aid in taking down that seaworm and figured I’d send help on the way.”

  Gracie, realization flashing in her mind, said, “Wait, YOU’RE the wizard who created that golem?!”

  Marcendes chuckled and replied, “Yes, my daughter. Being an elf, we’re a long-lived race. Before I met your mother, I created many things and studied vast amounts of magic. What you see there is probably my greatest creation.”

  Sav asked the wizard, “What do we do now? Is it over?”

  A rustling and rippling across the water put a grim look on Marcendes’ face as he replied, “Sadly, we couldn’t stop the incubation. Let us head back to Oldhollow and regroup. The golem will take down as many as it can, but we’re going to need more allies for the time of troubles ahead.”