Chapter 5

Now We Wait.

I tried once more to talk with O’Kallan and the captain. I wasn’t the only one. Others were growing restless as well and confronted both leaders. The confrontations didn’t end well for anyone. Adventurers were jailed below deck. Both the captain’s and O’Kallan’s reputation was dwindling. I heard people speak of mutiny a few times.

Each and every time the captain and O’Kallan were confronted, they defaulted to their position of waiting it out.

“We do not want to provoke the Cyladon,” O’Kallan always said. “Any other course of action is out of the question. Anyone who defies our orders to keep magic to a minimum below decks will be imprisoned and punished by law.”

The crew was large enough that anyone who caused trouble was easily outnumbered and confined below deck for the remainder of the voyage. Mages were stationed to keep an eye on those who’d been jailed. There were even rumors of Psychics aboard to tame trouble makers. Whatever that meant.

I hoped the Psychics couldn’t tell what I was up to. My heart was beating a thousand kilometers per hour. I was nervous and sweating. Yes, I was risking a lot, but I knew in my heart that something needed to be done. The King Cyladon was closing in and Jack was certain it was attacking, using its own strategy and devices.

I let out a breath and knocked on Jack’s cabin door. It opened a moment later and Jack ushered me in.

“Glad you’re still with me,” Jack said. Boule was beside the door, staring up at me with green and pus colored eyes. He growled and Jack clicked his tongue at the zombie monkey. Boule sauntered over to Jack and slowly climbed him from pant leg to shoulder.

“I don’t see any other way in surviving this,” I said.

“Neither do I. I’ve chosen a few eels and a piranha to use. Have you thought about health and shielding for them?”

“I have. I think I’m going to use Star Armor for shielding, Ohooahs Whisper Shade for stealth, and Dier Durke’s Tail of the Comet for an extra layer of shield and speed.”

“Speed. That’s good. I’m not familiar with the second two.”

“Ohooah was a shaman healer. Dier Durke is a demi-deity. I’ve got alliances with both.”

“Makes sense. I’m a bit curious how Vicen fits into all this but…”

“I’m trying to access a holy plane so that I can be well on my way to create a legendary Item.”

Jack frowned and studied the toes of his boots for a moment. He pinched his chin and muttered under his breath. Then he shook his head, shrugged, and brought out a box from his inventory. Within were three dead eels and a piranha.

“They’re preserved until the moment they leave the box,” Jack said. “I’ll infect them first. Then you cast your spells. We’ll go above deck, and drop them overboard.”

“I’m going to cast a different spell on the piranha, just in case the eels are killed, or something happens.”

“What are you thinking?”

“One simple shield spell. Meuraali’s Carapace.”

“You’ve got my trust, Tosin. Are you ready?”

After a single nod, Jack got to work. He cast a Pathogenik spell on each of the corpses, infecting all four. The eels and piranha flash decayed until they looked closer to how Boule did. The zombie monkey hissed from Jack’s shoulder and scrambled behind his neck to hide. I cast the first few spells from the articles on my flagstaff. Then I flipped through my spellbook for Meuraali’s Carapace, and cast that on the piranha.

“We’re all set,” I said. “Let’s go.”

Jack tuckd the box into his inventory pouch and asked Boule to stay behind. He conjured a purple biscuit which Boule was ecstatic to receive. Boule scrambled onto the bed and munched away.

Jack led us above deck and we crossed to port side near the bow. I leaned back and kept watch while Jack opened his box and dumped the eels and piranha overboard. A moment later, I heard four distant splashes. O’Kallan was still floating above the rune, eternally concentrating on keeping the whale shield up. He frowned and his eyes flicked open. I simply stared ahead at nothing, hoping I wasn’t drawing attention.

Jack put his hood up, tightened his cloak around himself. He was in the middle of a spell, controlling his zombie minions. My only contribution at this point was to make sure he was left alone to focus.

One of the mage crew member’s came straight our way, looking for eye contact with me. He was a thin fellow with a receding hairline and sea weathered face.

“Gentlemen,” he said.

“Sir,” I said.

The crew member looked at Jack’s back and waited for a moment.

“Gentlemen,” he said again. Louder.

“He’s praying,” I said. “Let’s let him pray in peace. Wouldn’t want to anger the gods.”

“Hmm,” the man said. “Have you two noticed anything suspicious around here? Anyone using magic?”

I looked around. “No, sir. Haven’t seen a thing.”

“Reminder that it’s forbidden to use magic above deck, for the time being.”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

The man stood there for a few moments. He glanced at Jack’s back a few times before lifting his hand. I stepped between them and knocked the crew member’s hand away.

“Prayer isn’t magic,” I said. “Let’s respect Jack’s space.”

The crew member eyed me grimly. He huffed, then walked away. Tension left me with a sigh.

Jack remained focused like that for the next hour. The King Cyladon rumbled and the sound shook every plank of the ship. I felt every organ in my body shake. Then those impossibly loud clicks came tearing through water, through our shield, and through each and everyone one of us. A small adventurer fell unconscious and crew members rushed to heal them.

Healing potions were passed around. I forced Jack to drink from one and I finished off what I couldn't pour down his throat. I was surprised how focused he was and hoped I wasn’t distracting him.

There were no other clicks, no rumbles, nothing. It was so dark that it was nearly impossible to tell if the monster was moving or not. We hadn’t seen daylight in days. The sounds were terrifying all on their own. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like when the monster physically attacks.

Jack cleared his throat and stretched to regain good posture.

“Everything alright?” I said.

“Your spells worked. One of the eels is naked. No shield, no speed, and no stealth, but it’s still in the zombie state and traveling toward the Cyladon. It’s going slower than the others now, but it’s going. The other eels and the piranha are making good headway. I’m hoping they make contact by later today or tomorrow.”

“Even with the speed buff?”

“Even with the speed buff. The piranha will take a few days more since it doesn’t have the speed buff.”

“So now we wait?”

“Now we wait.”