The Last Emprex by EJ Altbacker

Author:EJ Altbacker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-06-12T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

“DON’T LET EVEN ONE INSIDE!” YELLED Striiker as he fought snout-to-snout with the frilled sharks pushing themselves into the cavern. The frills were a seething mass of death trying to jam their way inside. They ripped with their tri-tipped teeth and stabbed with their tails. If the armada hadn’t been in a strong defensive position, Fathomir would have surely fallen.

It was their fourth attack of the day and the enemy showed no sign of giving up. But neither did Fathomir’s brave defenders. There was only one main way in and out of the throne cavern for any dweller larger than a mackerel. It was suicide to do a frontal assault, but still Grimkahn’s horde came. The mosasaur king knew that taking Fathomir was his path to winning the war.

One frilled shark writhed entirely inside the cavern so he could move fully. The high-pitched whine of his tail spike whizzing through the water ended in a sickening thwap! as it pierced a mariner through the head. Thick blood bloomed in the water, clouding the cavern and making it difficult to see. Combined with the lumo light shining from the walls and pillars, it was an eerie and grisly sight.

Gray streaked forward and bit the frill’s head off.

The horde was turned away once more.

Gray sighed, relieved. But he was taken completely by surprise when Grimkahn shot his jaws into the cavern. He scraped the rock walls on both sides of the twisty opening brutally but got far enough in to snap at Gray, who was bumped aside by Striiker.

Takiza released a bolt of energy, which may have stung Grimkahn, but as before did no real damage. It had become clear that his armored hide protected him and every other mosasaur against shar-kata attacks, and even the powerful burning vomit attack that Hokuu had tried. Grimkahn roared and pulled his snout out. Thankfully he and the other mosasaurs were too gigantic to get inside.

“You should be more careful!” Striiker said to Gray, irritated. “What are you even doing here? We got this!”

Gray was about to answer when Grimkahn roared from outside. “I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE, PUP!” He went on in a somewhat quieter voice, “You’re a cowardly little turtle, aren’t you? Why don’t you come out and face me? You did it once.”

“Are these brilliant taunts working?” Takiza asked. The betta was in good spirits but looked paler than usual. His brilliant rainbow colors had dimmed. Or it might have been the light in the throne cavern. Gray hoped that was the case.

He gave Takiza a negative flick of his fins. “Even I’m not that chowderheaded.”

Striiker yelled back, “Gray’s busy, Yer Royal Ugliness. But me and my mariners are still hungry! Could ya send a few more frills this way? Because them’s good eatin’!”

There was a cheer from the mariners after Striiker’s remark. He really was a fine leader.

Riprap and Ebbie darted over. They thought the siege was a big adventure. They hadn’t seen war from the front lines and didn’t understand.

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