The Fear

"Every year it demands a living sacrifice. If the people delay, it beats the water and creates great waves that flood the island and destroy the village. They do not dare to defy it."

- Jasmine

The Fear was a large monster that lived in The Glimmer in the secret sea. The Fear terrorised the Plumes of Plume Island and demanded an annual sacrifice from them, in what was known as the Giving. If a sacrifice was not given, it would beat the water and create giant waves, flooding the Plume village. The sacrifice, known as The Gift, was decided upon through the drawing of lots among elderly Plumes.

The Fear blocked The Glimmer, allowing nothing to pass between the ruby and opal seas. The Plumes wrongly believed that it was sent by the Aurons to prey upon them.

It was killed when Glock drove his broken sword down its throat.

Early history
The Fear began plaguing the Plumes hundreds of years before it was defeated. It was originally much smaller, but after many years of sacrifices, it grew, and eventually the creature occupied The Glimmer completely. A carved panel on Plume Island depicts the beast in its smaller state.

Cavern of The Fear
Nols was originally to be The Gift before Jasmine and Glock were found in the sea and brought to Plume Island. When Lief and Barda were brought to the island, they were put into the cage to be part of the Giving along with Jasmine and Glock. Near the cage, they saw a panel carved with a depiction of The Fear as it had looked centuries ago. The Plumes argued over whether or not to use all four Deltorans in the same Giving—some thought it would keep The Fear appeased for a longer time, but others believed giving The Fear a large sacrifice would cause it to require more in the future. The Plumes sent all four Deltorans in at once after they were convinced to let them try to defeat The Fear.

When the cage reached The Glimmer, the Deltorans saw that The Fear was far larger and more monstrous than they had thought. Glock attempted to cut one of its tentacles, but his sword broke in half on the monster's thick skin. The Fear grabbed him by the neck and hooked its threads into his throat. Jasmine climbed the tentacle and cut off the white wires, freeing Glock and enraging the beast. Injured, The Fear went into a frenzy and beat at the cavern and the water. It calmed down after a time, and began searching for its prey. Barda cut the threads from another tentacle, sending The Fear into another frenzied fit. Jasmine reached the beast's body and tried to stab it between the eyes, but her dagger did not pierce its flesh. It snatched Jasmine in one of its tentacles, and Lief tried to distract it by throwing bones at the threads on its tentacles, the only places that could be affected. The Fear seized Lief as well, but before it could harm either of them, Glock rose from where he had lain by the beast's shell, made it to the front of its head despite the pain he felt and stabbed his broken sword down its throat. The Fear's tentacles came crashing down as it died, pinning Glock beneath them and mortally wounded him.

Not long after, Glock died, and he was burried on Plume Island with the previous Pipers of Plume. Glock had previously claimed that he would kill The Fear single-handedly, and ironically the claim had come true.

Habitat
The Fear lived in The Glimmer, blocking it completely.

Anatomy
The Fear had a blue shell that had grown into the cavern wall through the centuries. Its body, a mountainous mass of slimy flesh, was based inside the shell, but its ten tentacles, thick as trees, could reach everywhere in The Glimmer with ease. Its tentacles had pale, ribbed undersides and long, thin, hooked white threads at the end. It had tiny eyes and a sharp, hooked beak that could tear flesh. The Fear's blood was thick and green. The thick, rubbery skin on its body and tentacles was tough enough to resist blows from both Glock's sword and Jasmine's dagger.

Behaviour
The Fear had ten tentacles, which were used move and grab hold of objects. Although the creature had eyes, it mainly made use of its tentacles. It eyes, though they could not see well, could focus on close objects.

Diet
The Fear fed on sacrifices annually of elderly Plumes. However, strangers were also offered.