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Perilous Jack shakes his head no.

“I am familiar with this trick,” he says. “You seek only to drown me, as your kind drowns sailors in the open sea. I will not kiss you, but I will fight you if you will not let me pass.”

The Mermaid speaks not a word in reply; she only smiles widely at him. Then wider and wider still, revealing a mouth filled with blunt yellow fangs that look horribly suited for crushing flesh. Her beautiful flowing green hair falls away, revealing a hard carapace beneath. Her tail splits into dozens of writhing tentacles like the limbs of a jellyfish and the rest of her body completes its transformation into a huge crab-like monster with powerful claws. She has revealed her true shape – that of a terrible Sea Troll!

 

Does Jack have the Coral Sword? If so, turn to 14.

If not, turn to 46.