The main deck was a blur of chaos, women pulling on rope pulleys and lines, carrying boxes filled with odds and ends, spears, swords, explosives, munitions even harpoon, all being set out and distributed ready for action.
"Cmon pretty boy move yer ass" came Lanas voice, her vice like grip on his sholder and pinning his arm behind his back a reminder of what position he was in, Alex gave a small groan in frustration, when suddenly he was once again walked over the head with something, a metallic ringing could be heard following the pain, looking up he saw what he knew to be a swivel cannon being transported from the lower deck, through the open main hatch, walking past two lifeboats that were strapped to iron polls at both ends secure and tarped down.
Lana then stormed over and looked down into the lower deck "Hey watch wat yer doing milk jugs, ya nearly took someone head off" she said, Alex could only hear the muffled apology from below before he was spun to face Lana, and sat onto the floor, Lana then proceeded to fetch some rope that was looped on the portside rail and began wrapping it around his arms and chest.
Alex gave a light chuckle to himself as he gave a dizzy smile to the redhead "if this were any other situation, being tied up by a woman like you wouldn't be the worst thing in the world" he said, trying his best to wink, ending up just closing his eyes, Lana looked at him wide eyed before bursting out into laughter, clutching her sides causing some crewmembers to pause to see what Lana was laughing about before continuing their duties.
Lana then steadied her breathing and wiped her eyes "ey, I don't know where ya came from lad, but if I ad met a man with stones like urs I think me life would have been quite different than it was now" she said, once again cradling whatever was nestled in her sash.
Suddenly the air was filled with the sound of a bell, sending everyone abord into a frenzy, rushing below deck, arming themselves, looking around Alex noticed Lana had vanished, looking to the back of the ship he saw her sprinting up the stairs to the upper deck, now standing to the side of the swolen captain Liz.
"Brace yourselves ladies, the ocean has sent one of its beasts to challenge our ships legacy, and by god well chase it down to the gates of hell if we must" called the captain, receiving a cheer from the crew "take command mrs Lana" said the captain, her voice determined as she gazed ahead.
"Ay captain, well then ya heard her ya fish hunters, brace up yarn and make ready the main sail, prepare to cut the Teath and brace the wind!" She ordered, the crew springing into action, Alex was able to shimmy himself into a standing position against the foremast to get a better look, when a voice in the canvas above called out to him
"Hey third ledger, I wouldn't stand up if I were ya, the beasts like if when their snacks are more lively" she called out, when a loud low roar rang through Alex's bones, followed by a mighty crash of water "thar she blows, bring out the horn and make it scream!" Yelled Lana, Alex then watched as the main mast began yo change, the bottom of the wooden design being lifted to sholder hight and wooden planks were Jammed into holes in the rings surface, then a small number if women began shoving themselves into the planks as it began to turn, and when it turned Alex covered his ears from the loud horn like call that beloved from the ships Hull, and if was constant.
Whatever was ahead of them clearly didn't like this, it's screeching and roaring evidence enough, the water crashing violently against its body, the ship pitched and yared in the waves the beast created as the crew cheered from the beasts torment "more speed, by sea and tide is not enough to run down this devil, brace the yarn and unleash the oceans breath!" Called Liz from the helm, some women left their previous activities and began to climb the rigging of the foremast and mainsail mast, the grunts and groaned of effort heard above, when all at once the ship jerked forward with newfound speed, looking up into the sails Alex was amazed by the ingenuity of what he saw, the mast seemed to unfold further, its beams doubling in size as the crimson sails grew and stretched.
Looking to his left Alex soon felt his heart leal into his throat as the source of the roaring and screeching became visible, it was enormous, easily the size of a freight train in hight alone, and in length was too long for Alex to view, the beast had a shell on its body, spiralled in its center and round in overall design, simular to that of a tyre, and out the end of this shell was a large reptilian eye its edges bloodshot as if it had not slept in days, its gaze angry as it passed the ship by, its multitude of tentacles walking the Hull on its way past,
"She's past the Portside and she's now on our stern, seems pretty passed by the look of it" said one crewmember "ay, looks like it's gonna be payday once again" came another.
"Spears at the ready, all cannons prepare to broadside, Mrs flyn, blind the beast" called Lana, the familiar voice from above letting out a laugh "ay it shall be done mrs Lana" looking up Alex caught a glimpse of golden hair and a black triangular hat before the ship let out a loud groan as the captain viciously turned the wheel "drop anchor and make ready our stand!" She called.
The bellow of the angry beast came in like a wave as Alex watched in horror ast the allroaching shell broke against the waves, creating a film of white ocean spray in its wake, heading straight for the ships Hull.
"Hold!" Came Lanas voice, everyone abord now gathered along the portside rail, weapons all aimed at the beast "hold!", the beast drew closer and closer, whan it all of a sudden spun on the spot, still approaching the ship at brake neck speed, but now its gaping beak like maw and multitude of tentacles were aimed at the ship, but then the creature let out a shreek of pain as the sea and sky were replaced by a crimson light, red smoke now bellowing from the creatures left eye, followed by the roar of cannon fire, the beast being coated in a smoke cloud, then silence.
The crew looked around when the smoke cleared, nothing, litteraly nothing, no creature, no body, when the ship began to creak and groan, Alex began to have a sinking pit feeling in his stomach, and judging by the faces of the crew, they all felt it too, looking to the upper deck he saw Liz's swolen form, one hand gently rubbing her midriff new surface, and in the other was a iron lance, twice her hight with its tip hooked at the end, and Lana had her knife in hand as she leaned over the rail "ITS BELOW US GET CLEA-" was all Lana could say before the beast lept grom the sea and wrapped its many arms around the ship as it attempted to chamber aboard.
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Something tells me that didn't go quite tl plan, on the plus side at least they don't need to worry about bringing the beasts body aboard.