It was the next day when I arrived back to the square. A good majority of the men and women that were there yesterday lined up on chairs and drank at tables. The cool night air keeping everyone awake.

As we left off the warriors that were sent upon the world to retrieve the Golden Sheep and its fleece had discovered a ruined city overrun by those driven mad with hunger by the gods. They lost one of their own Uloc to those ravening monsters. They wrapped him tightly in a shroud made of the capes of those that lived. With his shield still strapped to him they sent him into the depths of the sea to be forever known. Words of his great deeds would go far and wide.

After spending a night in the protection of the cove the Sand Weaver headed back out to sea. Not knowing where the storm had blown them the sailors used their farthest long sights. Setting their course on the failing stars they headed further into the seas to find their treasure. The people of the ruined town could not have sailed far so using a spare sheaf of parchment they began to map their area as if they were finding these islands for the first time.

Heading to the northwest at the barest hint of another possible island they began to mourn the loss of Uloc. Dionicia called the men to sing the heartfelt song to those that were lost and the sailors sang with them. The sun rose high and the wet heat of those that were on the gentle seas. The glaring light nearly blinded all those that rode upon the boat.

The island grew larger and larger and as they approached the final stretch the lookout at the front of the boat called for the sails to be put away and the warriors all began to stir from their respective practice sparring. The sailors all came together and began discussing.

“There are rocks ahead. We best sail around them else we rip a hole in the vessel.” Suggested the scout who had seen the rocks.

Dionicia grew anxious to explore the island and soon snatched the far seeing device the sailors used. He scanned the island as the boat made a small circle around it trying to find a way through the reefs that protected its shores. The sailors began to have hushed conversations and gave low prayers. Once a full circle had been made the captain of the vessel came to gather everyone.

“I suggest we skip this island. We could navigate to its shores with oars and care but such stone formations are usually home to sea witches that lure those to their death. Whose beauty is beyond measure when you hear them sing. We need to be able to hear in order for us to navigate well enough to manage the stones.” Fear rattled in his voice as he spoke and the warriors looked to one another.

Dionicia spoke to Silax, “Could you deafen yourself and prepare to hit any such witches with your sling in order to protect us on this voyage?”

Silax nodded, “I have never missed. I’d need help spotting them as well so I suggest another one of us if not all of us have wax stuffed into our ears and we can keep our eyes peeled for these malevolent forces.”

“Gather the wax, have all your men lash themselves to the boat so that they do not dive into the seas and be swallowed by those that would have their life taken from them.” Dionicia commanded.

A flurry of activity followed as the sail was taken down from the mast and oars were sorted and brought to their rungs to be used. A man with a horn to amplify his voice stood at the front of the Sand Weaver as everyone became tied to their stations. Another man stood at the rear of the boat at the rudder pole. The warriors filled their ears with wax and all those that have learned the sling armed themselves with the stones that were ammo for the ranged weapons. Such things could fly faster than the sounds of the man throwing them. The metal orbs that were used in warfare were not pulled out for their use would be held for more powerful foes.

Keeping their eyes peeled they searched the stones surrounding the boat while deafened to the world around them. The warriors could feel the shuddering of the boat from the yelling of the helmsman as he started to command the rowers to do their job. The boat moved much slower when not powered by the breath of the gods called the wind. The slow rhythmic stroking of the oars slowly gathered more power as they carefully navigated the reef.

One side of the boat stilled and Silax looked in that direction. The eyes of the sailors had been growing vacant and the vibrations in the air still. That was when he sighted the foulest of beings he had ever seen. With a long serpentine tail that had fins and scales. It seemed slimy and disgusting, as if it would eat away at the very skin of a man. Drooping and sagging breasts hung from the chest of the beast and a mouth like that of a lamprey sat upon its face. The hair on the beast's hair ran down its spine. It seemed like seaweed and had barnacle and egg filling it.

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With a snap of his wrist he started the crazed spinning of the sling. With a quick aim he snapped it so quickly that the air vibrated with its release. The stone shattered the jaw of the beast as the other warriors whipped their eyes around from the snap of the air and sighted the beast. It screamed so loud that even the wax was little protection from the sound as it grew from the water. Several stones pelted it slamming through its skin and breaking its ribs collapsing its chest in a volley of violence. Blood fountained from its mouth and it collapsed onto the stones. The sailors looked dismayed until the magic of its cry faded and they saw it for its true visage.

The sailors shook their heads and took a minute to reorient themselves and focus on the reefs around them. Oars went back into the water and the man at the helm started his shouting once more. The warriors nodded to one another and reloaded their slings. Their eyes peeled in all directions. Their senses so keyed up they could feel the very air around them and the movements of the ocean.

Without warning one of the beasts emerged and leapt upon the deck of the ship. It was easily twice the height of the men and its tale still lay in the ocean. It cried and the sailors all stilled. With a swift motion it dipped down and its mouth clamped around the head of a sailor and with a violent twist it was torn free from him. It drank his blood like a horn full of mead. Stones pelted it with snaps of the air.

Allay with his mighty ax had no skill with the sling and charged. His two hands gripping it mightly. His knuckles white with the power of his hands. He was at the back of the beast and Allay brought down his ax with the anger of ten men. It sunk through the flesh as if it was young thin wood ready for the reaping. The beast flailed and knocked him aside. His back collided with another man and their limbs began to be tangled. As it turned to him Dionicia with a mighty spear ran it through the breast of the beast and pushed against it like it sinking the blade like a stone into water.

As it shrieked, another stone by Silax shattered its skull and it sank to the boards of the boat its chest rattling one dying breath. Another half dozen men had been crushed under its weight. The sailors went to the task of clearing the deck of the beast and evening out the oarsmen. Mourning would be for later when everyone was safe. The warriors had to do most of the heavy lifting as Allay was tended to by the healer and seen to have broken his ribs. Breathing hurt and he wheezed mightily. He was dragged and carried below to the healers quarters to be seen and wrapped.

Everyone now at their new posts kept their eyes peeled as the stones were navigated. The soldiers and men now on edge from the back to back attacks. Twice more the warriors were able to fell some of the beasts from afar and free the sailors from the bewitching spell they sang. The treacherous waters were cleared and soon they thought themselves free. A great scratching sounded from the bottom of the boat and the fear of a hidden reef having been hit was quickly dispelled by the emerging beast at the front of the deck.

The beast was at least five men tall as its arms were the length of two men. It pulled itself from the water and the front of the boat sank to the point where the whole deck pitched forward making for treacherous footing. Its mouth was impossibly wide with rows upon rows of shark like teeth. From its forehead dangled an antenna with a bulb at the end. As it yelled it nearly knocked over the men with its sheer force. The navigator was snatched from the deck and ripped in half by the teeth of the beast. The deaf warriors saw as the sailors did not respond to the loss as if they were still entranced. They looked upon the beast as if it was the most beautiful god they have ever witnessed.

Silax sent a stone sailing into the beast but it bounced off her breast leaving little more then a dent. Its eyes narrowed as it began to reach for him. Dionicia charged and leapt into the air. With the might of a dozen men he rammed the spear through its hand and pinned it to the deck. The howl that erupted from its mouth pieced and shattered the ears of the sailors and the warriors were barely protected from the sound by the wax. Even then the vibration of the noise shook their very soul.

Allay emerged from below deck and grabbed his ax. His ribs had not been bound yet but the call of battle would override any sense of self that he had. Dionicia retreated and went to snatch another spear to fight with.

Horal dashed in lightning quick and sliced open the pinned hand’s wrist and a fountain of blue blood began to pour out of it. He danced out of a swiping hand and laid open a large gash into the back of the grasping hand. Horal barely avoided one more swipe and retreated.

Allay charged forward and leapt off the pinned arm and sunk his ax into the breast of the beast, cutting the flesh free for it to fall off its body. He landed poorly and his leg slipped on the blue blood. He could not recover in time for the other arm to smash him into the boards of the boat crushing him so his last breath rattled in his chest.

With rage Dionicia charged the beast as it went to lift the body of Allay to its mouth. With a mighty thrust he pinned its other arm to its stomach and twisted the barbed end of the fishing spear sideways so that it lodged firmly in the wound. Horal opened up that wrist as well more blood gushing from the wound. As it bent to snap at the warriors with its teeth a stone from Silax sunk deep into its eye and a gush of clear thick fluid poured from its face. It reeled back in agony as Dionicia pulled up the ax and laid open the guts of the beast. As the intestines, blue and green like rotting flesh poured out of the stomach it slumped and nearly dragged the front of the boat into the water. With quick thinking Dionicia cut its pinned hand at the wrist as the beast slipped into the roiling sea.

Dionicia fell to his knees and lamented the loss of another of his comrades. He had been closest to Allay for his bravery and sense of justice in the world. They had served together in the same battles and for the same lord.

Sand Weaver struggled to get close to the shore and many men grabbed buckets from below and seemed to be bailing out water. The new captain came to the warriors and helped remove the wax from their ears.

“We have to beach the vessel until we can repair the tear that the beast laid into the bottom of the Sand Weaver. We might be stuck upon this island for the moons’ cycle. We will need your protection and scouting of the island once more for adequate food and water for us to survive.”

Dionicia nodded and looked to his other two companions. Those that still stood, “We must do our best and hope to the gods this is our last stop. I don’t know how many more of us we can lose and still succeed.”

I wrapped up the story to the clapping of the people. Many of them called for me to continue for the night was still young. Yet I grew tired even through the constant flow of power I received from weaving the tale to the people.

“One more night and the tale will be complete. Then I will leave you fair people to think about what we might learn from the ancient tales that are spun throughout the world.”