The storm subsided outside the inn on the pier, and seemed to every reliable source with at least five pints of ale that it would hold for the foreseeable future. The crew of the Waving Gullet were eager to set sail again. It had been over a month since the storm had forced them back to land, barring them from the sea. And so, the harbour bustled with excited sailors and enthusiastic wives and sons and daughters.

  Pi’ve carried a box of bait up the ramp before he came down to fetch another one. His father came out from the Inn by the dock with rope over his right shoulder, and shouted for Pi’ve to help him with the provisions. It would be a long while till they were back to shore again, and honestly, even though Pi’ve enjoyed the sea and its ominous vastness and calming waves, he loved his city and the forest outside even more.

  Pi’ve lived in Thergiam. A vast city. It inhabited more than three million people, only surpassed by Or, which had four and a half million. Or was another coastal city, and most of its wealth came from ships; fish and trade was the main contributor to the city. The only reason for Thergiam not being larger and more prominent than Or was its location, as it was harder to get to. It resided at the very end of the bay of Thergiam, which began at Or in the North, and the Dragon Range in the South, and ended at the thinnest part of the bay where the land of the South collided with the land of the North. Some parts of the water were shallower than others and an inexperienced ships-captain could easily run it ashore.

  Pi’ve concerned himself with none of these facts, for even if he liked the sea and his city, there was something else about the city which intrigued him more. Thergiam was not only the second largest city of men— no, it also had the largest gathering of wizards in all of Soilar, or the world as most called it. As far as Pi’ve knew, over half the wizard population lived in Thergiam, and for that Thergiam was called The City of Wizards. Factions, clubs, clans, secret societies and a whole governing body called the WCC; The Wizard Court Council resided there. He knew this because ever since he was a small child he had dreamed of one day becoming a wizard and had inquired every wizard he stumbled upon and that was few. Even when he did so there was no guarantee that they would entertain his questions, busy as they were. He asked what they did, where they went, what magic they could do and whatnot. He learned a lot, but not much altogether.

  It all went quiet for a moment as the real work was about to begin. The sailors waved at their children and wives on the pier, some of who had tears in their eyes. This was the silence that they were all waiting for, or dreading. He would be looking forward to be back as soon as they left, but he helped the family business, and he was proud to be able to do so. He was the son of the captain after all.

  ‘Hoist the anchor! Anchors aweigh!’ the captain shouted. ‘We’ll be out on’t sea before the sun’s forehead shines on ours!’

  The gangway came on deck and the mooring lines were quickly unfastened. Wind caught in the sail brought the ship upon the steady waves of the pier, and carried them off at last. Pi’ve looked out on the dock, and before they had drifted too far, he saw a familiar man come out of the same inn that his father had been. Pi’ve ran up on the bridge to his father.

  ‘Da! Did you see Barna in the Waiving Gullet?’ He said. Pi’ve had a rather overlarge passion for wizards, as his father knew. Thergiam being the City of Wizards, it still was a major feat to meet one, as they often had no time to speak with him to his frequent disappointment.

  ‘Aye.’ His father said simply. ‘He bid us a fair voyage, and hoped that you’d not sicken the deck again.’ Then he laughed. ‘He heard that I had got rather stern with you last time, and found my reaction a wee bit harsh.’

  ‘He mentioned me?’ Pi’ve said gleefully. His father smiled. ‘I am going to find him when I get back— I wish I’d been a wizard…’

  ‘Anything you put your mind to, son.’ His father said, and clapped him on the back. ‘Now put your mind to the barrels in the cargo hold! There is going to be good catch this round, I feel’t in my bones, son. They need to be clean.’

  ‘Yes, captain!’

  Many hours later, the crew not assigned to the night shift came down the stairs to the crew cabins, and Pi’ve finished his twenty-fourth barrel and ate a small hardtack before he too came slouching to his bunk. He had been offered his own cabin in the officer-quarters, but Pi’ve had refused, owing to the fact that he saw himself as just another crew member, and they were already calling him privileged since he was the captain’s son. They were wrong. He knew deep down that his father was not more lenient towards him than the general crew, and he had no wish for leniency either. Even though that bed sometimes seemed more alluring than the bunk, but he managed.

  Pi’ve fell fast asleep. They had woken early that day to rush to the sea, and now, after almost eighteen hours of hard labour, his head and back needed some good hours of shuteye. It felt like to Pi’ve that as soon as he had shut his eyes, a tumult of shouts and whaling woke him from his sleep. Before he had fully understood why he had awoken, a loud crack sounded above him and a scream pierced his ears. He knew who that scream had come from, but it could not be—

  He rose, and felt the ship rock unnaturally. It swayed somewhat to the port side.

  As he came out of the crew cabin door, he was shoved into the wall opposite by Nobby. Nobby had blood on his face, and he looked like he had seen a sea serpent in the eyes.

  ‘What is going on, Nobby!’ Pi’ve shouted. There was too much sound for them to talk normally, and he saw Nobby’s mouth move, but his words were muffled by what sounded like planks being ripped off the hull.

  ‘What!?’ Pi’ve tried again. Something was settling inside him. He had heard— what did he say?

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  ‘The captain!’ Nobby shouted from inside the crew cabin. He came out with a harpoon. It had no rope. It was made to kill, not capture. ‘He is dead, Pi’ve! Grab another harpoon! Or take a cannonball with you!’

  It was clear that Nobby in his panic had forgotten that Pi’ve was the captain’s son, for he came back and did not notice the sheer panic which he had transferred over to Pi’ve. He came to himself, his head throbbing, his vision blurred and a deafening crack followed by a loud splash which brought water down the stairs. Nobby grabbed his comrade by the shoulder into the crew cabin where the harpoons hung on the walls.

  ‘Here. Grab two— they are heavy!’ Nobby said and took two himself. ‘Run up to the prow. Billo is there handling the gun. Run!’

  Cries and panicked stomps could be heard above him. Metal, wood and gunpowder smoke filled Pi’ve’s nostrils. He walked up the stairs tentatively. The salty air of the sea could not be scented as he came up on deck. He looked at the prow, and Billo was indeed manning the gun. Clink! The gun fired. Pi’ve saw Billo’s last remaining harpoon fly overhead. Pi’ve followed the arrow as time seemed to slow to a crawl. It passed the foremast as the night sky lit up by lightning and a thunderous bang. The arrow passed the mainmast. Something crept into his side view; something so large Pi’ve barely knew how to process it. The arrow passed the mizzenmast, and before he saw exactly what it had hit, a sound of metal on metal rang. The men still alive went quiet. The black void of the ocean ensnared them and consumed them, eating everything.

  A small spark on impact lit up the face of the creature which had boarded their ship. On the stern deck a black crustacean as large as the entire stern thrashed about with its claws the size of wagons. Its eight legs were bending over the railings and down below the ship. It had pierced the hull and keel of the ship, and even now the ship had taken in too much water. The black eyes of the colossal crab-like creature made even its black body to seem grey.

  The crab swung its claw outwards and in a tremendous arch. It brought the lightning down and blew the mizzenmast in two. The mizzenmast fell and pierced the deck going down the lower decks of the ship.

  ‘What ar’ye doin’!?’ Pi’ve heard as he was swung around and a harpoon was lurched from his grip. The other one fell to the deck and made an ear-piercing clank. Billo looked up and his eyes turned blank as they widened. The absolute panic in Billo’s eyes made Pi’ve fall down onto his stomach. Almost before he had reached the wooden floor, Pi’ve heard a yeurch and a clap louder than boulders cracking.

  Billo stood still before him, or so he thought, for as he looked up, he could see his mate without his upper body. As he turned he saw his upper part flying into the sea, never to be seen again.

  Resolution came upon Pi’ve. He was going to kill his father’s bane. He grabbed the harpoons before him and ran across the deck to the stairs leading up to the prow. He had never armed a harpoon to the gun, but the string had already been cocked back, and so he guessed it was only to fit the arrow and aim.

  Before him only the foremast still stood; the others had been snapped and destroyed by the monster. The deck below the stern had been ravaged and were still being ravaged by the colossal crab who seemed to have its mind on one thing only: destruction. The ship was too heavy already, and missing internal support from the pillaged insides it begun to creak and break apart.

  Pi’ve aimed the gun. He fired. Though the harpoon had flown true, it bent and was sent crashing down through the massive hole in the deck. He looked about the ship. He could see no one— only him and the gigantic crab. Muffled cries could be heard all around him from far away in the sea’s water.

  Pi’ve looked at the gun and saw a lever which the string was attached to. He grabbed the lever with one hand and pulled. It would not move. He placed his feet on the swivel of the gun as he grabbed with both hands and pulled with all his might. The lever crept slowly and squeaked towards him until it popped and Pi’ve was sent flying back hitting his head against the railings behind.

  He felt dizzy, but he was still unfinished. He got up, but felt his feet buckle under him. He let out a shout and shook his head, looking for any blood, and indeed, his hand was burgundy with viscous liquid that discoloured the rain.

  He grabbed the last harpoon which he knew would be the final shot of his life, and placed it within the rill of the gun. The gun seemed thrice as heavy to steer, and he swayed as he tried to take aim. The crab was the only thing in his vision. Then lighting struck again. The world seemed to be greeted by the sun for the last time. That was when he saw his opportunity. Its mouth. He had to hit its mouth, or else all hope was lost, if hope was what he was now looking for.

  He pulled the trigger. The arrow flew, coursing through the thick, salty air. Pi’ve’s hand let go and fell limp beside him as the arrow followed the path it knew so well. Pi’ve did not try to prevent the smile that slowly invaded his face. The throbbing in his head was all but gone. The arrow would be true. But then… the crab’s left claw —like a whip— hit the harpoon and sent it far away into the endless depths of the waters. Still Pi’ve smiled. There were never any chance.

  Crack. Splinters flew from the ravine in the deck. The back of the ship tipped backwards and the ravenous crab slid off and splashed into the waters. The foremost part of the ship also began to tip. Pi’ve could not stand any longer. He slid against the railings, supporting himself. Then as the front of the ship dipped under water, he jumped with his remaining might.

  Something had stuck to him. A rope with an iron hook had tied itself to his foot and he was dragged down. Before he could get it loose, he was enveloped in darkness and he did not know what was up and down. He panicked and drew breath. There was fire in his lungs. Then he thought, he would join his father in death. His vision went black.