Robin shone the light into the dark crack. The narrow tunnel beyond disappeared into the water. The only way to further explore it was to dive down, after squeezing into the crevice.
“Fuck!” he slammed his wet palm against the smooth unyielding stone. He stood there in frustration, water up to his armpits, lapping at his chest. There was nothing he could do—as he could never fit through the crevice.
Suddenly, something brushed his boot under the water, and he jerked away.
He wasn’t alone in here.
Drawing his rapier, he backed up to the center of the grotto, rotating from side to side, trying to detect further movement.
There! The water surface broke to his left, six feet away from him.
Robin slashed at the water and at the invisible creature, his breath coming in shallow gasps, fear threatening to engulf him.
“Bunda!” he yelled without looking up. “Pull me out!”
The rope, which had been slack to allow him exploration, began uncoiling in the water as the men above pulled it back.
There it was again. This time, ahead of him. A scaly, slick torso lazily cut through the waters. Whatever it was, it was no fish.
“That thing’s the size of Dorkah,” he muttered. Scanning the water frantically. “Hurry, Bunda!”
He felt the tug of the rope as he was lifted off the floor of the subterranean pool slowly.
Far too slowly.
The water rippled again—this time behind him.
Robin twisted around, trying to face the creature.
His action only served to initiate an undesired spin as he hung from the rope.
“Stop dancing about!” yelled Bunda.
Robin’s boots finally emerged from the surface, showering well water in their wake.
He was nearly three feet in the air when the creature erupted from the dark pool.
In the light of his magical cap Robin finally saw it.
Definitely not the size of Dorkah.
A foot wide and over eight feet long, it had a serpentine body ending in a triangular head.
Its white milky eyes stared directly at him.
Its mouth opened impossibly wide.
Rows of nail-like teeth lunged toward Robin's face.
