The night stretched deep and black around them.
Hideous, enormous tentacles burst from the sea's surface like writhing towers of flesh, reaching toward the star-scattered sky while churning the ocean into chaos. Waves grew treacherous beyond measure, sending sheets of spray flying like torrential rain across the heaving waters.
Whoosh ~ ~ ~
The sea monster seemed to be summoning forces beyond mortal comprehension.
Amid those otherworldly sounds, the sea wind suddenly intensified with supernatural fury. Stars vanished one by one behind gathering clouds until the sky transformed into a curtain of absolute darkness. Only the fleet's lanterns and braziers provided any remaining illumination against the encroaching void.
Within moments, the wind's howling grew louder and more urgent, becoming the dominant voice upon the waters. Ships rose and fell with the dark, ink-black swells, swaying from side to side like dancers caught in some violent courtly reel.
Whoosh ~ ~ ~
Wind and rain merged into a single assault, white-capped waves crashing and breaking against each other in endless succession upon the midnight waters.
A storm was clearly approaching—and approaching fast.
Whoosh ~ ~ ~ Whoosh ~ ~ ~
Yet this was no mere tempest born of natural forces.
Many sailors aboard the warships felt instinctive terror creeping into their hearts, making them hesitant and uncertain despite their training and experience.
Gods preserve us.
They had understood intellectually that this voyage would bring them face to face with a legendary sea monster. But actually witnessing such a creature with their own eyes...
Who among them could claim freedom from fear?
A sea monster tall as a mountain, ferocious and cunning beyond measure, with a voice like the abyss itself—and capable of summoning storms at will!
A demon made flesh!
Mortals were such small, humble things. Should not demons face punishment from the gods themselves? Why must mere humans confront such an abomination?
"Aim the cannons." King Joffrey's voice cut through every sailor's terror like a blade through silk, reaching every ear despite the howling wind.
The command's lingering echo carried mysterious power—dignified, noble, instantly restoring reason to minds clouded by supernatural dread. The terrifying shadow cast by the sea monster simply... faded.
What manner of voice was that? The thought occurred to hundreds of minds simultaneously.
The sea monster continued its otherworldly howling, yet no man trembled any longer before its might.
King Joffrey had restored their confidence as surely as dawn banishes nightmare.
Yes—mortals have been granted divine power! Humanity possesses strength beyond measure, and even demons shall be subdued or slain!
Every warrior sprang into action with renewed purpose.
Commanders and captains issued crisp orders while cannon crews swiveled their weapons toward the sea monster's thrashing tentacles, ready to unleash devastating volleys the moment their target presented opportunity.
The warlocks merged their supernatural abilities with the warships themselves, causing vessels to automatically furl sails, secure supplies, and arrange rigging for optimal storm survival—preparing to face the sea's fury in perfect formation.
Non-essential sailors and marines retreated to the safety of interior cabins, clearing deck space while avoiding unnecessary casualties.
Less than a dozen heartbeats later, only gun crews and officers responsible for observation and command remained exposed upon the rain-lashed decks.
Battle stations were manned and ready.
Joffrey leaned against the rail of the Grace of the Gods, studying the distant leviathan with calculating eyes.
The previous development had proved most unexpected indeed.
Euron Crow's Eye had been cast aside by his supposed servant, revealing that the sea monster possessed independent will—and seemingly greater power than anyone had anticipated.
Even stranger still, this creature that clearly possessed intelligence was paying particular attention to the royal fleet. Or rather, studying him personally with obvious intent.
Joffrey's brow furrowed in contemplation.
Given current circumstances, the fact that Euron Crow's Eye had been manipulated as a tool by some greater entity seemed beyond dispute.
But what role was this sea monster truly playing? What part did it intend to assume in events yet to unfold?
Enemy, neutral observer, or potential ally?
Whoosh ~ ~ ~
The sea monster continued venting its apparent excitement at regained freedom, yet remained stationary within its claimed territory, occupying hundreds of yards of churning ocean as if already satisfied with its liberation.
Joffrey had not forgotten that meaningful glance it had directed toward him earlier.
"Test fire," he commanded with deliberate calm.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hundreds of warships erupted simultaneously in clouds of white smoke and orange flame.
Countless pieces of steel streaked across the night sky like falling stars carrying death.
Boom...
The shells exploded against the sea monster's massive tentacles and limbs, driving hard iron fragments deep into alien flesh while expanding flames and superheated steam swept across its entire bulk, roasting the creature's hide with merciless intensity.
Whoosh ~ ~!
The sea monster's eight enormous tentacles danced like striking serpents, frantically slapping the water's surface and shattering the waves into even greater chaos.
"Direct hit! We struck home!"
"Haha! Is that all it amounts to? Same as those longships—shattered with one blow!"
"Long live His Grace!"
The gun crews embraced each other in wild celebration, unable to contain their elation.
A real sea monster! Before this night, not one among them had so much as glimpsed such a legendary creature, let alone dreamed of defeating one in battle.
Sea monster!
This single engagement would provide bragging rights to last until their graves claimed them.
Warriors who defeated a sea monster!
The crews prepared to press their advantage, burying the wounded leviathan beneath an avalanche of steel and fire.
However, the sea's surface had already returned to empty darkness.
Officers relayed the inevitable news: "The sea monster has retreated to the seabed. Cease bombardment."
The gunners reluctantly abandoned their weapons, though their excitement remained undiminished.
Though the battle had paused, the brewing storm intensified with supernatural malice. The restless sea grew ever more eager to swallow these ships and the lives they carried into its hungry depths.
Salty rainwater mixed with towering waves constantly washed across warship decks and hulls, seeking any weakness or flaw in their construction.
Such flaws did exist, despite the fleet's excellent maintenance.
Warlocks and sailors immediately began emergency repairs, checking every surface and sealing vulnerable points against the storm's assault.
Theon stood respectfully behind King Joffrey, struggling to maintain proper posture.
Even the massive, radiant Grace of the Gods remained merely an appendage that rose and fell with the angry sea's rhythm, forced to endure each wave's invasion.
Theon looked down at the deck beneath his feet.
The surface—half steel, half seasoned oak—had been transformed into a shallow stream by the never-ending deluge. Water flowed in surging currents that changed direction with each roll of the hull.
Pillars of water continued falling from the black sky above.
Some were simple raindrops condensed from storm clouds, tasting of nothing but clean water.
Others carried the salt and slight bitterness of the sea itself—spray launched skyward when waves crashed against the ship's steel sides, compressed by solid metal and the pressure of following swells until they tumbled into the air, only to fall upon the deck and eventually rejoin their oceanic source.
Cold water surrounded everything.
Theon was already soaked to the skin, the deck beneath his boots growing increasingly treacherous. At any moment, he might lose his footing and be swept overboard by the rushing streams.
Yet when he raised his eyes toward the king, Joffrey's back remained clean and relaxed. The monarch stood immovable as a mountain while water retreated from his presence as if by its own volition.
Theon recognized this as yet another manifestation of divine power.
The Holy Warriors had already received four distinct types of supernatural blessing from the king's hands. Without question, His Grace possessed even more formidable forces than those he had chosen to share.
As for the sea monster, it had already proven inferior to mere cannons, let alone capable of matching the king himself.
Crack!
The first lightning bolt suddenly split the darkness, tearing apart the night sky with brilliant violence.
Theon could not help but step closer to his sovereign.
"Your Grace, the sea monster has sustained significant damage and retreated to the depths. Shall we proceed according to the original plan?"
The "fishing net" of depth charges remained secure, though the squadron ordered to drive the creature into the open had withdrawn to safe distance. The wounded leviathan could lick its wounds within that explosive cage for as long as it wished.
If this confrontation continued much longer, the battle might not conclude until dawn broke across the eastern horizon.
Should the storm continue strengthening, even longer delays seemed likely.
How can this be acceptable?
The Iron Islands awaited his return. Though barren and harsh, they were his islands now, his responsibility and his future.
Theon desired nothing more than to reach his homeland as swiftly as possible.
"I have my own plan," Joffrey replied, his attention divided between two distinct concerns.
The sea monster had indeed curled itself into a defensive ball upon the seabed, its muffled cries seeming to express genuine pain and fear. Yet those wounds could only be considered superficial damage to a creature of such immense size and supernatural resilience.
There was also another "sea monster" to consider—one that demanded equal caution despite its smaller scale.