Darkness filled the space, deep down below the surface. Something floated in the water, massive and waiting—The Sapphire Shine, one of the Elders, though not the oldest. It was as black as the depths, though lines of blue, like veins, danced in and out of view. Bubbles wrapped around it as it swam. Well, swam wasn’t the right word. Swam implied it moved with purpose. This mass had no purpose. The Shine moved as the water moved—slow, steady, and ever forward.
A school of fish came up beside The Sapphire Shine, but it paid them no mind. Some bumped into it and exploded into bloody, fishy particles. The rest of the fish scattered, spread out in an effort to get away from The Shine.
The Sapphire Shine twirled in the water. It rolled over to reveal seven glowing, sapphire-blue eyes. They were oval-shaped slits which blinked—leisurely and careful. More bubbles rose from its sides as it began to ascend. Slowly at first, then it picked up speed.
Sunlight trickled into the water as The Sapphire Shine drew closer to the surface. The light covered The Shine and revealed blue scales which shimmered where the sun touched. Each scale was beautifully crafted and tougher than titanium, made to cover the black beast.
A black spot floated above The Shine—a ship.
The Sapphire Shine surfaced fast. It leaped out of the water and slammed down beside the boat, splashing the deck with a wave. It turned towards the ship, blinking its seven blue eyes.
Yells began on the ship. People ran to the side to get a look at the beast. The cannons started as the yells crescendoed. They exploded and cannonballs slammed into the face of The Shine. The cannonballs bounced off, harmless and ineffective. The scales shimmered, but didn’t crack under the weight of the bombardment.
The creature opened its maw to reveal rows and rows of sharpened teeth. A giant, pink tongue swished in its mouth, licking the teeth. More yells called from the ship. Cannons fired into the open mouth. The beast swallowed the cannonballs—a small snack to whet its appetite.
It moved closer, speeding towards the ship. A harpoon on a rope embedded into its tongue. The crew tugged on the harpoon and the rope pulled taut. The harpoon came loose and black ooze pooled where the pointed end had been.
The Sapphire Shine roared and the ship shook. Waves splashed around the ship, cascading into it.
The Shine moved as close as it could and clamped down. The ship disappeared, rolling over the creature’s tongue and down into its throat. The creature swallowed and let the ship sink down.
With its stomach full and its appetite satiated, The Sapphire Shine descended into the water, disappearing into the depths once more. The darkness swallowed it, and it was as if the creature had never been.
Prompt: Fictober 2022 — Elder