With a little help

Yes/No (Likely)

[5,6] Yes and... an ally arrives in time to help her

—

Morgause stumbles towards the Temple doors. This time, her mind is entirely her own, but they swing open nonetheless, the gem vibrating in her closed fist.

With a gasp, she staggers against the frame, then rights herself, splashing back into the cave and towards the beach.

She can hear a great thrashing behind her as the beast emerges, her hex’s power clearly no longer in effect. Perhaps, if she can reach the beach, she’ll be safe…

A powerful whipping limb wraps around her ankle, suckers biting into the flesh of her calf as it winds itself around her, yanking her to the flooded floor.

She squirms in the water, trying to kick out, but failing to land a meaningful blow on the rubbery tentacles that slither around her. The Sea King grips the doorway behind her, hauling itself through as it advances. It’s eye burning with antediluvian hatred, its maw opens, lined like a lamprey’s with needle-sharp teeth.

She has a feeling that its intentions towards her have definitely changed. Trying to muster a spell, she opens her mouth, only for a second tentacle to slap around her face, squeezing against her mouth to keep her quiet as she’s reeled in helplessly.

A flare of flame crashes through the air above her, illuminating the cave and leaving a trail of shimmering super-hot air behind it. Crashing into the Sea King, it sends the creature reeling back, its tentacles spasming in pain.

Morgause takes her chance, crawling on her hands and knees through the water, and looks up towards her savior.

Caius stands in the mouth of the cave, his staff planted in the water, a scroll of bound magic already crumbling to powder in his hand as its power is used up. He beckons to her and she scrambles forward, aware of the beast behind her - already recovered - slithering after her.

Caius’ eyes are wide with alarm, but he holds his ground, and throws out an arm to her as she nears him. She clings to it like a drowned rat, hauling herself towards him, eyes wide and wild.

At her side, the Witch-Hunter fumbles for another scroll, but the Sea King lashes out, catching him in the chest with a roving appendage, knocking him down into the water. Caius rolls, holding up his staff to ward off another attack, as the beast looms over them. Its tentacles crash down again, splintering the magical tool as easily as driftwood.

Morgause gasps in dismay, their doom so very close. Then, with a realisation that’s part horror, part relief, she looks down at the Sea Shroud, still in her hand.

“Any magical item makes a suitable channel - maybe even a powerful one. But don’t expect it to survive the incantation.”

More of Millicent’s advice rings in her ears, and she lets out a low groan as she recognises the only chance they have left.

“Blessing from the earth mother’s womb, make this place my enemy’s tomb!” Morgause gasps, holding out both hands with a final push of magical ****.

The hex takes immediate and devastating effect. The cave shakes around them, the natural stone arch cracking and starting to crumble. In sync, the gem in her hand cracks down the middle, its magical potential powering the spell, but depleting itself in the process.

Caius stares at her in alarm as the ceiling begins to come down around them, and she grabs him by the scruff as she staggers to her feet, straining to haul him away. He barely shifts, but gets the message, scrambling onto this front and stumbling away.

The Sea King shrieks in rage, a bubbling, livid sound, its limbs thrashing and writhing, **** to back away towards the Temple doors as the cave collapses all around it.

A great burst of water and sand crashes up around the Witch and Witch-Hunter as they clamber away from the cave behind them.

With a final shuddering crunch, the mouth of the cave collapses, barricading the Temple and its dreadful secrets for good.

Morgause drops in the sand, coughing up a lungful of grit and dust. The Sea Shroud sits in her palm, inert, as she flops onto her back, eyes trained on the night’s sky above.

“Fucking brilliant. After all that…” she groans, placing her other palm over her eyes and squeezing, willing this entire fruitless experience to be a dream.

Caius’ voice is low and rough, and very very close to her ear, as she feels him crawl in the sand beside her.

“I take it that bauble was what you came here for?”

“Exactly. And now it’s worse than useless. You’re welcome by the way.” She grumbles, a little more unkindly than intended.

“Then thank you. Honestly.” He murmurs, and she feels his hand over hers, enclosing the gem. “You could have just left me there.”

“Not really. You came to find me, after all. Which you didn’t need to do. Why did you, anyway?” She removes her hand, opening her eyes. His face is very close hers now, sand dusting his dark curls, his olive skin aglow with sweat.

His hand moves to her stomach, caresses her hip, and slides over her thigh, squeezing it softly through her soaking skirt. “You helped me. I make it a habit to repay those kinds of favours. Besides, I owed you an answer about those legs of yours.”

Her breath catches, and she locks eyes with him, biting her lip and not at all caring that he sees it. “Well remembered. So, with the danger behind us and the excitement almost certainly clouding our judgement… do they? Make a man stiffen?”

“Feel for yourself.” He grins. He captures her slender wrist in one powerful hand, guiding it down to where his manhood strains urgently against his britches, hard and swollen.

“That better not be because of the Sea Monster.” She winks. Then squeezes.