To my immense frustration, I actually lost the first version of this chapter due to Microsoft Word quitting on me before I could hit save. At least it gave me a chance to do another draft, right? Sorry for the delay on this one, I'm hoping to pick up the pace from here.


Chapter 7: Discoveries

"Girly, do you hear that?" Issun sounded anxious for the first time since she'd met him; there was a heaviness in Iris's own gut, but it didn't feel any different from the last few times she'd been nervous, so she'd been trying to ignore it. Still, Issun wasn't helping.

"Hear what?" The driftwood glided slowly across the water, aside from the occasional splash and creaking of rotting planks, the ship had been silent. Iris couldn't decide if she was thankful for that or not.

"There was this gurgling sound just a second ago." Iris tried to listen for it, but shook her head; there was nothing. "No? Either way, the sooner we get out of here, the better. You got the key?"

"Mm-hm." Iris was only half paying attention, the rest focused on trying to find a place to dock. The hall had opened up into a massive, empty chamber - hull, was that the word? - with only some sort of wooden walkway suspended from the roof, and a lone barrel left to float freely some distance away. Iris started to steer them towards the walkway; the closer end, she saw, was too far out of her reach. "Just a little longer..." As if responding, the plank creaked beneath them. "Just a little longer." There was another groan, this one much louder.

And much further below.

"Issun?"

"Yeah, that's the sound."

Iris dared to look down for the first time since she'd started paddling. Something massive and green lurked beneath them, like a shadow, and small bubbles crawled towards the surface through cracks in what she could only guess was its gills. Iris turned back to Issun, and though she couldn't see his face, the silence coming from him was enough. She nodded, gripping the paddle just a little tighter as she started paddling again, as quietly as possible.

It felt like an eternity; each stroke of the paddle only brought them so far, and it was hard to push without making at least a small splash. Every sound, every movement made her want to look back down and see if the thing was still there, if it was following them. She kept her eyes on the bottom step of the walkway, counting each push of the board. Issun had stopped bouncing.

"We're almost there," she whispered, swallowing a bit and noting her throat felt dry. They drifted to the step, and she held the driftwood upright in the water, trying to bring them to a stop. The step was right overhead. "Just hold on..." One hand gripped the wooden step. Iris took a breath. "Alright... one, two-"

The wood splintered below them. Iris lost her hold and her hand came away splinted as she hit the water on her back. Salt stung her fingers. The water below roared.

Iris was surging upward. The green thing was below and surrounding her. She rolled, fell, smacked against the water. The thing was moving again below. Ground, she needed to get to ground. Iris managed to get on her stomach and swimming, and saw the barrel. Good enough.

The thing charged upwards again. It pushed up, and she stopped, and it pushed them both out of the water with a dull roar. She jumped down, towards the barrel, and smacked against the side of it. She could hear it below readying again, clawed at the wood and tried to pull herself up. Something glinted right above, a chain, and Iris reached at it like a rope and pulled up.

"Iris, heads up!" It surged up before she could see it. The thing almost pressed to the ceiling, close to the hook the chain hung from. It started pulling down, and she grabbed it. She pulled her knees up as the green shape closed and knocked a sandal off, both disappearing into the water.

Another groan, and the thing grew still. It can't find me, she thought with relief.

"Girly?" She couldn't see Issun, but could make out his voice, a small squeak, below. The chain was sliding through the loop it was hooked through, and she felt herself pulling the chain down. "You okay up there?" Her lungs burned and her hands stung, and she wasn't sure she could breathe.

"...I survived?" She asked as she was lowered; the chain stopped a foot above the barrel. She looked at the thing, hovering at the floor below them; she gripped the chain just a little tighter, and flinched at the splinters pressed into her skin. "Issun, where are you?"

"Still in the water!" She looked down, but couldn't make him out; there was, for an instant, a tiny flash of light.

"Issun, careful! It'll see you!"

"Iris?"

Iris shouted in surprise and looked up. The closest wall was splintered, and she could barely see Rao and Ammy looking through.

"There's something down there." She glanced down; the thing was lurking right below. "I can't get down." Ammy barked, and disappeared for a moment. "Wait, where are you-"

There was a howl, and the entire boat groaned. The water rushed out through cracks in the wood, and the barrel fell to the floor. She could hear rustling, and a moment later there was a scuffing sound overhead.

"Hold on," she heard Rao say, and the chain was pulled up and over the edge of the wall, onto the walkway. She let herself fall, barely paying attention as Ammy sniffed her face. "Can you catch your breath? We need to keep going."

"Yeah... yeah." Iris gulped a breath, and pushed herself up; her hands now burned, but she was alive. "There's... a key down there... I think we can get at the door."

"Then as soon as you're ready, lead the way."

Iris ended up riding on Ammy's back. Rao walked alongside them, and even with her mind still playing catch-up with what had just happened, Iris got the feeling Issun was happy to be on the priestess's shoulder. She pointed them towards the door, and let Rao do the honors of unlocking it. The cyclops-shaped lock screeched as it was opened. Iris closed her eyes and tried not to think about it, and they moved forward, into a room with a single gold chest.

"That's gotta be the treasure!" Issun bounced ahead - how was he okay? - and stopped at the lock, bouncing up. She heard a click. The lid swung open, and something shining leaped out, landing and rocking in front of them.

"...It's a hammer." Iris blinked. "It's... it's a hammer."

"Not the Fox Rods..." Rao lifted it up, turned it over in her hands. "It must be important, for the Water Dragon to guard it so jealously. We should leave before it wakes." Ammy nodded, and turned back to the door.

"Hold on," Iris started as Rao got on Ammy's back, and Issun on Rao's shoulder. "What do we do if it's awake?"