Chapter 17 The Hydra's fall

"NO ISZ! Don't cut off its head!" Mich tried to shout. Isz was pulling Jack up and both of them ran toward her when two heads replaced the one she had cut off.

Mich shot two arrows into each of the new heads. Isz turned to Mich, "Let me guess it grows two more heads when you cut one off. I'm just guessing that was the rest of your sentence."

"How do ye kill a beast if you can't just cut off its head?!" Jack added.

Mich hissed in pain trying to line up her next shot. She stumbled but caught herself.

"Lass that doesn't look good."

"I KNOW!" Mich exploded in frustration, "We need to get Merrick and my father out of here. All we need to do is distract that thing long enough to steal the medusa head. Now what are you going to do to help!"

Isz and Jack exchanged glances, fear and distress edged into her usual calm demeanor. Mich knew Merrick was alive and in need of help. She also knew she was no help in the fight but she could still do something. "Isz help me to lean against the cave wall, I can still shoot a few arrows. Merrick dropped into that side of the water. Just keep your eyes out, when he surfaces. If one of you can drop a large enough rock on one of its heads away from him then we will have a chance. It seems to be ignoring my father, but I don't know how long that will last."

Isz and Jack nodded to each other. Isz looked at her wound for a moment, no doubt noticing the bandage was red now. Mich looked at Isz's concerned eyes and squeezed her hand. The silent message to go on was received. She noticed a large rock on the upper ledge of the cave had a deep notch in it. Michelle pointed it out to Isz with enough force if should fall on the Hydra. Isz picked up a long piece of stone from what looked like might have been an arm.

"I can shoot enough arrows to distract it for you to make the climb."

"I guess I am going rock climbing after all." Jack had the difficult job of rescuing Merrick and her father. Mich counted she had ten arrows left.

"Wait, Sparrow!" Mich puller her short sword and passed it to him. "you'll need this, just don't cut off any heads. Just save both of them, please." He nodded seriously before loudly shouting at the beast and waving his arms around wildly.

She watched as Isz started her slow climb. She would watch her back till she found the ledge

-Merrick-

Merrick tried to pin his arms and legs together before he hit the water. He landed with a splash, and began to swim toward the surface. Suddenly two large yellow eyes looked up at him from deep below. He swam faster, but he only had enough time to take a shallow breath from the top of the water. Teeth caught the edge of his pants; and dragged him back down. He reached out and tried to grab the edge but could not hold on. They touched the bottom and it began to thrash him from side to side. His face and hands hit the river bed, fingers grazed past small rocks at the bottom. After a few more moments he pulled up a rock and forced it into one of the yellow eyes. The mouth released him just enough. A second head lean in toward him. Merrick kick it back down as he swam up to the surface. He saw a sword flash above him, With the rock still in hand, threw the rock hard at what looked like the head of the attacker.

"Ow! Bloody Flying rocks!" Merrick pulled himself out of the water prepared for a fight. No less than four head took turns snapping at them. A few had throwing knives lodged in each eye.

"Jack?"

"Don't ya know not ta throw rocks at yer mates… -MOVE!" Merrick turned to see multiple heads snapping at Jack's sword. He looked forward and noticed a ledge. Beyond the damaged tree was a Mr. Fairchild with a medieval spear sticking out of his shoulder. He moved carefully with Jack behind him ducking and avoiding what seemed like endless sets of teeth.

"How many heads does this thing have?!" Merrick shouted to no one in particular. He reached Mr. Fairchild who was breathing but slumped down. The spear looked like it had gone into his shoulder, but it had not all the way through.

In a raspy voice Edward replied," Nine heads, but I suppose it won't help to check my counting." Merrick didn't know how to respond so He focused on the spear. It may have cut into the muscle otherwise no major damage. Although he may have fainted at some point. He doubted Edward Fairchild have much experience with weapons being thrown at him. Not that he had a chance to discuss anything with him as they had barely made it into the house before he was captured. He had thought the senior Fairchild had run away and left him.

"This may hurt a little but I need to pull this out, then we need to run." Merrick braced his feet against the wall before pulling the spear out. The older man yelled in pain for a moment. Merrick quickly helped him along and shouted for Jack to start moving along the edge. He looked up a dark haired female using a stone arm prying a large rock off the wall.

"Any time now, Love!"

"Give me a minute, bloody impatient pirate!" Merrick wasn't sure this counted at impatient when they were avoiding nine sets of sharp teeth. Jack tripped against something, and he turned for a moment to grab something. Merrick saw one of the head aiming toward his old captain.

Jack shouted, "Close yer eyes!" Merrick didn't have time to ask why, he just ducked down and covered the senior Fairchild's view.

"Jack! We need to move!" Merrick opened his eyes to see jack wrapping a cloth around something before shouting yes move. In the same moment he looked up to see three of the head turning to stone. The weight caused the monster to fall into the water.

A cry from above said, "Now!" The rock slammed into the body and trapped it underneath the water.

Merrick, Jack, Edward ran out of the way as the last head sank below the surface.

Merrick finally caught his breath to ask, "Jack are you carrying a head? And did that head turn the monster into stone?"

Jack looked at the head in disgust," It'll be a long story lad. Things I do for these women." His face fell the moment he turned his eyes forward. It took a moment for him to follow Jack's gaze to Mich who was leaning against to cave wall. She was pale, too pale.