Trials for the Haunted by J.J. Kīmmorist

Author:J.J. Kīmmorist [Kīmmorist, J.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bow’s Bookshelf

32

MONSTERS

Black water licked over the top of Syn’s boots as she stood balancing on a log barely large enough to keep her and Relia afloat. The pair drifted along with the log, mostly submerged in the brackish sea. It was the biggest piece of driftwood they could find in a frenzied search of the beach. They figured it would do, but one wrong move would send them both into the perilous water. Progress came slowly as they clung to the rock wall and used it to pull themselves around the perimeter of the Rock. Any time they wobbled on the undulating waves they would have to stop and hold onto the wall to catch their balance.

Something splashed beside Syn. She looked over her shoulder to make sure it wasn’t Relia falling into the water.

“Piss-drinking water demons,” Relia cursed at the water.

“They must be drawn to the smell of that rotting chunk of meat in your pack.”

Syn wiped her hand on her trousers to dry the sweat before reaching for another handhold on the wall. She tried her best to grip the wall, but the surface of the rock had grown smoother the farther they went. Their advancement stalled as the water-beaten rock provided little to grip onto.

The clamor of battle bounced off the water and amplified the sound of the trials above them. It cut at Syn’s patience. She felt as if they had been at it for hours. Syn’s fingers were raw and cut from holding onto the wall. Their tedious progress around the Rock made her fear they might be too late once they reached the tier. The growls and shrieks of beasts still rumbled above them, proving that some of them were still alive, but it sounded like less than before. The curvature of the rock formation made it impossible to see how much further they had to go.

“Do you think anyone has stolen a prize yet?” Syn asked.

“Don’t worry yourself about that, just keep going.” Relia continued to scan the water for threats while she helped pull their raft along.

Syn continued to worry, however, as they made careful progress. One misplaced grab and it would all be over. She caught the glint of white teeth. A wolf-sized mass leapt from the water. She retracted her foot just in time for its piranha jaws to snap shut in a narrow miss. Its slick body bounced off the side of the wall and splashed back into the water. The shock sent Syn teetering to the side. She nearly fell into the sea, but Relia caught her and shoved her back on balance.

“Hurry!” Relia yelled.

Syn clawed at the wall. The beast was almost bigger than the log they perched on. She didn’t look over, but she could feel the current of the water change with the demon circling back around. Snapping jaws and splashing sounded all around them.

“There’s more!” Cornered against the wall and floating on a tiny log, they didn’t stand a chance.

“Go! Go! Go!”

Syn scrabbled. She pulled them along, hand over hand as ribbed fins of varying sizes rose from the water.

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