The ship sailed through the storm that had erupted without warning. Within the raging winds and crashing waves, several leviathans rose briefly above the surface before disappearing once more into the depths as lightning split the sky.
Some of them brushed their massive scales against the hull, causing the vessel to shudder and wobble upon the turbulent sea.
The ship was caught in its heart, its sails snapping like wounded beasts as towering waves slammed against the hull.
"Hold the ropes steady!" the Captain roared from the helm, his boots skidding across the drenched deck. "Do not let the wind turn her broadside!"
The crew struggled to obey. Men were thrown against railings, others clung to masts as sheets of rain blinded them. Lightning tore across the heavens, each strike revealing the sea in brief, terrifying clarity.
That was when they saw them.
