Barnaby Twist's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

The giant's hand rose over Barnaby. It was gray and cracked, wide as a sail. Barnaby stood on his boots, legs waving above his head, and knew he could not run fast enough on his hands. He needed to stop that hand now, or the sand would swallow what was left of him. He looked around for anything. Near the tipped ship lay a strange crab. Its shell shifted color as he watched, black to purple to green. Cracks glowed along its back like cold fire. Barnaby had heard sailors curse this creature. They said it changed its shape and brought bad luck to any who touched it. Barnaby had no better plan. He kicked the crab hard with his boot-hand toward Lunaris. The crab hit the giant's foot and split open. A sound poured out of it. Not a crab sound. A wall of screaming guitars, drums, and a voice like tearing metal. From the crab rose a small figure with wild black hair and a studded jacket. His eyes glowed white. He landed on the giant's foot and threw his fists in the air. This was Izzy Izzbourne, the god of hatred and death metal, freed from the shell that had trapped him. "WHO WOKE ME UP?" Izzy roared. His voice shook the water. He turned his glowing eyes on Lunaris, not Barnaby. "You. Big. Ugly. Rock." Lunaris pulled his hand back from Barnaby. His orange eyes fixed on the tiny god screaming at his ankle. "This bay is mine," the giant ground out. "NOTHING is yours," Izzy screamed. He slammed his boot on the giant's foot. Sound blasted out with each stomp. Lunaris stumbled back into the water. Waves crashed over the beach. The giant swung at Izzy, missed, and roared in pain as the noise stabbed his cracked ears. Barnaby scrambled clear on his hands, boots kicking the wet sand. The two giants of the bay tore into each other. Rock and metal. He was forgotten. He had traded one enemy for a fight between two, and that trade had saved his neck. When Barnaby reached higher ground, he looked back. Izzy stood on the giant's chest now, both fists raised, screaming a song that drove Lunaris to his knees in the surf. The god turned his head and found Barnaby watching. "YOU," Izzy shouted, pointing a black glove. "You cracked my shell. You owe me a stage. A ship. A loud, angry ship." Barnaby stood on his boots and thought fast. He needed a crew, and here stood a god who scared off giants. "I have a ship," Barnaby said. "I need men to sail her. Sail with me and you'll have your loud deck." Izzy grinned, teeth sharp. "Deal, hand-walker." Barnaby had lost his sailors on this beach. He had gained something worse and better. His first crewman was a god who hated everything, and the bay's giant now hated them both.