II | Crucible
“What is it, Sthulhu? Speak.”
“Enemies,” said the raven. “Port and stern. Many men, heavily armed, awk!”
Dravidian began to reply when a great sound tore the night—a sound so lumbersome and ultimately shrill that it could only be iron crying out in distress. It came at once from left and right, and was followed by what sounded like chains rattling—but hundreds of chains, thousands of chains!—as water gurgled and dripped, after which a third sound, a sound which clanked and creaked and ratcheted faster and faster, grew prominently amidst the cacophony.
Shekalane saw light from the orbis lunae glint metallically in the blackness ahead of them. Dravidian must have seen it too, for he triggered the bow spotlight, which shown whitely from the blade-like ferro and revealed an e
