The massive claw came crashing down.

Neville's lone arm shot out to grab the winch chain. His empty left sleeve flapped wildly in the wind while the veins in his remaining right arm bulged as he wrapped the iron chain as thick as his forearm around his waist. He managed to haul the tilting ship back half an inch through sheer force.

"Form the iron chain formation," he bellowed.

The deck trembled under his thunderous roar.

20 burly soldiers immediately rushed forward to hammer the chain's barbed end into the gunwale posts.

When the giant claw struck the chain with mountain-shattering force, Neville's knees buckled suddenly while his boot heels carved deep furrows in the planking. He forced down the rush of metallic taste rising in his throat.

"This beast's claws could crush iron and stone," he muttered as he watched the crack spreading along the iron chain.

With a sudden surge of strength from his lone arm, he yanked the chain sharply to the side.

The giant claw scraped past t