“Lords of Lendria...!” Ray murmured.

The second he heard the ear-splitting cry, his gut sank into his bowels. When he turned, his mind emptied and his jaw dropped. He stood gaping in horror and awe at the titanic beast, struggling to wrap his mind around what his eyes were seeing. [i]How can we survive against such a thing? Is there anything we [b]can[/b] do?[/i]

Alicia's suggestions stirred him from his inaction. [i]Use cannons. That's something I can do.[/i] He hurried down to the lower deck and swung one of the new guns around to face the closest of the great slimy appendages holding the ship. He fired, but the cannonball simply bounced off the rubbery, spongy flesh. Cursing, he reloaded the gun, this time with grapeshot. This time the tentacle was severed, shredded into a gory mess. Ray whooped with joy now that he knew they could hurt it, or at least drive it away from the ship. He pointed out the powder kegs to Nolan, who heaved them into the water for Luro to shoot. [i]We may get out of this one yet![/i]