Chapter 8

Boullerd

Jack had absolute control over the King Cyladon. His efforts required a great deal of concentration from him, and an even greater deal of mana. From the cumulative resource of mana, Jack figured we had a chance to make it to Vicen’s island before he lost control. The closer we got to the island, the more promising our survival was. If the monster sank, we would go down with it and be sucked to fatal depths.

There had been no choice but to sail on, leaving countless others to fend for themselves in the sea. We’d saved as many as we could. After Boule had robbed most of them of loose items regarding mana, they were rightly upset.

The captain, O’Kallan, and I faced the bloodthirsty crowd and provided a buffer between them and Jack.

“That little devil monkey stole my potions!” An adventurer said, hurling a finger at Jack.

“That aint right,” someone else said. “Taking advantage of us while we're hanging on for our lives! Saving others!”

“We’re dying,” another said, “and here you are. Stealing. Arrest him, captain!”

“There’ll be no arrests,” the captain said, pushing someone back who attempted to lunge by him for a shot at Jack’s back.

“Why not?” Someone said.

“He’s got control of this serpent,” O’Kallan said. “He’s the reason at least some of us are still alive, and without your mana, we don’t have a chance of making it Vicen’s island. We’ll die if we don’t pool our resources to help Jack!”

People took some convincing, and I helped defend Boule’s frantic efforts to gather mana. I was thankful to have O’Kallan and the captain at Jack’s defense as well. It was difficult to reason with people who’d just lost their families, who had just seen many deaths, who had just been on the brink of death themselves, and all felt as though they’d been kicked while down. It took nearly an hour to reason enough with everyone that we successfully deescalated the mob.

“How’s he controlling the monster?” Someone said as everyone sat themselves down for the rest of the journey.

“We don’t know,” I said quickly. “All that matters is that we’re well on our way to safety.

“What’s wrong with the monkey?” Someone else said. “Is it diseased? Look at it, it looks sick! That thing touched me! I hope whatever it’s got is not contagious.”

Boule stood hunched forward between Jack’s feet. The zombie monkey stared ahead with a void in its eyes. Eyes that were ringed with decayed yellow and infected orange. Its jaw hung open. One arm limply held onto Jack’s leg. Right above that hand was its curled tail. Drool ran in a slow laminar flow over Boule’s own feet.

All eyes were on Boule. The monkey that Jack had kept hidden. The zombie familiar that had been kept secret. It was too late to say anything. People were making connections between the zombie monkey, and Jack’s green magic control over the King Cyladon.

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Jack’s body had stiffened drastically since everyone had been focused on Boule. Jack was nervous then. He broke his concentration to perform a simple gesture. He dropped his left hand and beckoned Boule to climb up with a single finger. Without seeing the beckoning finger, Boule climbed up the inside of Jack’s cloak.

“Zombie!” An adventurer said. “That monkey is a zombie! That man is an infector! He has a zombie class!”

“Everyone stand back!” Someone else said.

If anyone had taken the opportunity to attack Jack, both the captain and O’Kallan would not have been in the mind to stop them. They both dropped their guard and turned to regard Jack. Their mouths hung open. Disbelief nearly knocked them down. A stronger sea wind would have been all it took to knock them completely over.

A familiar voice called out. “Arrest him, captain!”

The captain was still recovering. O’Kallan as well.

“Arresting him will kill all of us,” I said.

“Grab the monkey!” someone said.

No one moved, and in the silence that followed, the captain’s face heated. Anger boiled his blood. He snarled and stormed over to Jack.

“Captain!” I said. “Leave him alone!”

O’Kallan stepped in front of me. Over the mage’s shoulder, I watched helplessly as the captain wrestled the screaming monkey from within Jack’s cloak. Jack was preoccupied and could not come to Boule’s defense. The Pathogenik’s body trembled. Frustration wrinkled Jack’s face.

I couldn’t stand the injustice any longer and made to step around O’Kallan. O’Kallan shoved a firm palm into my chest and stopped me.

“You know the bounty laws,” O’Kallan said. “Anyone with a zombie class must be arrested.

“Leave the monkey alone!” I said.

“The monkey is the bounty. If I understand correctly, so is this monster we’re riding. Jack’s a danger to the world of Felke. Or don’t you know your history? Zombie classes wreak untold chaos across the land.”

“This isn’t right,” I said. “Jack has one of the lesser zombie classes. His class isn’t part of the bounty, he’s not breaking any law. In fact he’s saved all your lives!”

O’Kallan raised his brows.

“Don’t listen to him,” the captain said.

O’Kallan’s brows lowered. “Sorry, healer. Jack’s zombie has been taken into custody.”

“When we arrive at shore, you will be placed under arrest,” the captain said.

Jack dropped his hand and turned around. The long magic green reins fizzled away with the sound of sparks colliding. He turned to face all of us. His face suddenly wore no emotion. His cloak billowed in a rising wind.

“What’s going on?” O’Kallan asked, forgetting about me and turning to face Jack in equal measure.

My gut rose in my chest and I realized that the Cyladon was now sinking. As far as the eye could see, the rest of the coiled Cyladon was visibly sinking. Other adventurers put a hand to their guts at the same time, feeling the effects of falling.

“I command you to pick up the reins and take us to shore immediately!” The captain shouted.

“Return Boullerd to me,” Jack said.

“That zombie vermin is now in custody! Sail us to Vicen’s island at once!”

Jack didn’t say another word. The captain was fuming, now shouting threats and obscenities. No one joined in because the choice was evident. Either return Boule to Jack, or be dragged into the sea.

Fear governed the hearts of men, and the captain was held back and subdued. A cloth was placed over his mouth as he struggled in vain. O’Kallan stood by, speechless.

We began to sink faster now that momentum was building. Boule was let free to return to Jack. When the zombie familiar climbed up on Jack’s shoulders, only then did the Pathogenik flash out his hands and resume the magical green reins that controlled the Cyladon.

Not another word was said, and we were off once more. Vicen’s island was within our reach.