It was left behind without being killed because it was a cannibalizer that ate its own kind. It almost killed every ravager and skipper that disturbed the farming grounds of this world, where the tribe trained and befriended the ripple and many other sea creatures for useful needs.
The team Levize led had fought it many times, but they were not able to kill it, and it was used as a sort of training dummy for the royal soldiers. But recently, old Tom looked like it had tasted a lot of human blood, so it was making quite a trouble.
It had a snake-like body and scales on its back, and its head had four eyes, two above and two below them, and a big maw like a predator waiting to hunt. But it did not seem to have any teeth. Instead, there were tentacles growing out of its mouth, like each tentacle was alive on its own, and at the end of each tentacle there was another maw eager to devour anything in its way. This was the creature they came to kill!
As Robin saw it, Leo and Ravi waited for his command. Robin moved his hand forward, and the three of them swam fast toward old Tom to kill it this time. While nearing it, there seemed to be electrified streams crossing them. It was not like they could not bear it, but it was a nuisance to come across.its one of Old Tom's ability: it could exert a certain amount of electricity in the water. Even though old Tom seemed to have a great advantage in the water, the three of them did not seem to fear it or back away because of its size. They just closed the distance between them.
Levize watched it and looked at Kavin and Ares. Ares sat on the ripple with his legs close to his chest and hugged them tightly.
Levize looked at Kavin and said, "You too, Kavin! Go help them. This time, it should be dead!"
Hearing him say that, Kavin was confused. "But sir, the three of them would be enou—"
Cutting him off, Levize said with a serious tone, "I said go, It should be dead this time!"
"Yes, sir."
Kavin did not seem to summon any weapon. He simply jumped into the water and swam fast to catch up with them. As Kavin went near them,
Levize asked Ares, "So then, why won't you go, kid? It's time to feast, right? Then why not?"
Hearing that from the commander, he stood up and knelt on his right leg, with his left facing up, and said, "Sorry, sir! I have failed you!"
Tears flowed out of his eyes as he wept. "All these years, you have helped me grow, and I couldn't even kill this cunning whale all this time. And now I have entirely given up. I am so sorry!"
Levize did not have any reaction on his face.
"Hey, kid, you know what? You can kill it!"
Hearing him say that, Ares's face cleared and turned slightly frustrated. He had thoughts like, What? There are ways? Why is he only telling me now? If he knew all along, or is he just messing with me? He gave Levize a doubtful look.
"Don't look like that. Your thoughts are obvious. It's nothing new, kid. It's what you know, but the way you see it is what needs to be fixed."
As he said that, there seemed to be a big force wave that hit Levize's ripple. It was the clash between three writers, one creator, and a monstrous whale from the time of the Great War.
The Great War times were the nightmarish times for every living being, where every world was ruled by ancient ones and controlled by massive armies of wretched whales, and tribe members lived their lives in hiding, scavenging and surviving. That was when the world found that people could become stronger by attending trials and gaining more insight, and they fought against the whales and won. But the people of the Great War never came back from their trauma. They died thinking of it, lost their minds, or became outlaws who defied the tribe's nature and disrespected the World's Tree.
Old tom was a creature from that time as well, still alive for that very reason of helping tribe members by clearing the area, but now it has gone out of hand. Levize watched as its maw started to expand and expand, like it could swallow its own body. It seemed to be gathering some energy. It made some sound, and as Robin, Ravi, and Leo heard it, they seemed to experience incomprehensible pain and started grunting as they suffered.
There was a whisper behind them.
[---.---.---.]
Kavin created some sound, and now there was a force field between them and old Tom. Only then could the members of the team catch their breath. Leo and Ravi gasped heavily as Robin straightened himself and said to Kavin,
"Thanks, vice commander! It seems old Tom really tasted a lot of blood. It never used this kind of attack before. Only now is it sensing us and attacking with strategy!"
Hearing him, Kavin said,
"This is not the time to discuss those things. I'll create a path! Robin, you get his attention. Leo and Ravi, prepare for a grand strike! We'll finish him together. Without the commander, He is not going to step in for us. So, As always We are going to end old Tom today! Like any other target we kill"
Then he whispered again.
[.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.]
It took some time, but Kavin created a new sound. The fatigue of the team seemed to be lifted, and their physical capabilities also improved.
[.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-..]
The next whisper was beautiful as it played in the others' heads. They started to see a path where everyone could reach a fateful route that led to victory. With determination,
The team marched to kill the great cleaver!