Tepi was the first to see me as I swam over to the ship.

"Nikita!" Tepi cried as she staggered towards me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! I have the scales!" I said.

She ordered two men to hoist me up. The sun seemed too far away beyond the gray cloud, and the monster's attack hadn't lessened since.

Once I got onto the ship again, I showed her the scales. They gleamed brightly in my hand, but Tepi stared at them with both relief and a hint of fear.

"I will ask everyone to retreat," she said in a hurried voice.

Our ship was in a bad shape, but Issarak's...