Advent of Eternity - Chapter 112 (Patreon)

Muted conversation from outside the door pulled Knell from his meditation. He let his eyes slip open as a trickle of cool energy washed through his body.

You have leveled up!

Name: Knell Coda [Age: 0]

Path: Scion [Rank Zero]

Level: 20

Attunement A: Foresight of the Vulture

Attunement B: Devouring Maw

Attunement C: Empty

Attunement D: Empty

Attunement E: Empty

Foresight of the Vulture [Legendary] – Peer a short distance into the future, seeing the most likely outcome of actions taken in your immediate surroundings.

Bloodline: Eternal Body [Epic]– Time magic bends around you, modifying your lifespan and granting you resistance to spatial magics.

Abilities:

Tax the Living – Death magic erupts from a wound you have inflicted on a target, inflicting the same damage once more.

Peer into the Black – Open your eyes to the magic that permeates the world and determine how close to death a being is based on the death magic around them.

“You wait this long just to give me an ability, and then you give me something that I can do without any magic at all,” Knell muttered dryly. “No matter. It should be mildly amusing if nothing else.”

He glanced down at the raven’s cage. The massive bird was still sprawled within it, but the strip of jerky he’d placed near the entrance was gone. One of the raven’s eyelids pulled back to reveal a deeply bloodshot eye.

Man and beast observed each other for an instant. Then the raven clicked its beak and closed its eye once more. Knell grunted, then put another strip of jerky near the cage. He pushed himself to his feet with the aid of his staff and headed out onto the deck.

Stix slid down the ladder running up the main mast and nodded in greeting as she brushed her hands off. “Was just getting the flags all set up and proper.”

“Shopping all done?”

Stix nodded. “Got everything we needed in the way of supplies. But why did you have Maya buy me a top?”

“A top?”

“You know, one of the spinning ones,” Stix said, making a twisting motion with two fingers. “The ones kids play with?”

“Ah,” Knell said, rubbing his forehead. “Maybe I should have let Cyll choose it after all. Enjoy, I suppose.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the wheel of the ship. Cyll and Maya stood by it, arguing over a map. Knell cleared his throat and they both looked down at him. Clearing his throat, Cyll stuffed the map into his back pocket.

“We’re ready to go when you are, Cap. What are your orders?”

“Set course for Apton,” Knell replied. “Same as they were before I went into the cabin. I do hope that you weren’t just arguing over the proper way to get to Apton just now.”

It was Maya’s turn to clear her throat. “Nope. We know how to get there.”

She and Cyll exchanged a glare.

“I’m sure,” Knell said dryly. “I really need to find a navigator.”

“We’ve gotten everywhere we needed to with no problem so far,” Cyll protested. He tapped himself on the chest. “I’m more than enough.”

“You thought the compass was a physical place on the map.” Maya crossed her arm over her chest.

“They shouldn’t have stuck it on top of an island. Makes no sense.”

“Do we know how to get to Apton or not?” Knell asked. “If we don’t, now is the time to tell me. I’ll go into town and get someone that actually knows what they’re doing to give us directions.”

“We’ll be fine,” Maya said. “The map isn’t that bad. Cyll’s just an idiot.”

“You say that, but I haven’t seen you able to read any Decedonian documents,” Cyll said.

“What in the Sixteen Seas is that?”

“The most commonly written language in the Shattered Sea,” Cyll replied with a smug grin.

“Not anymore,” Knell said. “If I’m not mistaken, it was nearly completely abandoned after the Shattering. The Decedonian empire no longer exists, and most of the documents associated with it are considered relics.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that she can’t read it.”

“You know what fact we can change?” Knell asked, a slight edge to his voice.

“The one that the ship isn’t moving?” Cyll guessed.

“Astute. Let’s work on that one, shall we?”

Cyll gave Knell a thumbs up and ambled over to the anchor. As he raised it, Stix went around untying the ropes connecting the Withered Rose to Melwood’s docks. A short while later, they were at sea once more.

The wind was strong that day, and it happened to be in the exact direction they were heading. The sails bloomed with it behind them, and the city of Melwood was soon shrinking at their backs.

“I’ll be in my cabin for the time being,” Knell said. “Get me when something goes wrong.”

“When?” Stix asked. “Don’t you mean if?”

“No.”

Knell walked back into the cabin and pulled the door shut behind him. The second piece of dried meat he’d left the raven had vanished as well. A small smile slipped across his face and he lowered himself into his chair.

Even though he’d just leveled up from meditating, there was always more to consider. It couldn’t hurt to get some extra time in, especially when he had nothing better to do. Knell took a deep breath and steadied himself, then stopped.

He cocked his head to the side. Something was off. The room didn’t quite feel as empty as it should have. His eyes opened once more. Across from him, standing at attention, was a skeleton wearing ragged green clothes. Faint wisps of energy curled off its body and dissipated into the air.

“The first mate,” Knell said, shifting in his chair in case he needed to move quickly. “Maud, was it?”

“I’m honored that you recall my name, Captain.”

“It wasn’t difficult. I haven’t met many skeletons with their wits still about them. I was under the impression that you lacked the energy to manifest yourself.”

“The Withered Rose is conserving energy. It is only being used for important purposes,” Maud corrected. “This is one such purpose. If you recall, Captain, you agreed to restore us to our former glory.”

“So I did,” Knell said. “Though I don’t believe you told me exactly how you wished that to be done. We were a bit preoccupied at the moment.”

“The Withered Rose has much of what it needs already,” Maud said, inclining his skull. “This ship is an artifact, but we don’t have the power we once did. In Blackfoot’s time, the Withered Rose was a galleon. Now, it is little more than a skipper.”

“I trust it isn’t physical material you’re looking for, then.”

“An apt guess. Like most artifacts, the Withered Rose needs magical power. There are many ways to deliver it, but not all are made equal.”

“Boons, then?” Knell guessed.

Maud nodded. “Boons are among the easiest. Crystalized parts of the gods have more energy in them than almost anything else, and I can consume them to aid in restoring the Withered Rose. They are not the only option, though. Artifacts and lifeblood will serve just as well, should they be of sufficient strength.”

Knell grunted. “And what benefits will the Withered Rose receive from this? Boons do not come easily. I am loathe to spend them on anything that isn’t necessary.”

“If you wish her cannons to ever fire again, then you will need power,” Maud said simply. “It is the same for the crew – and me. Just restoring the crew will take a significant portion of power, but we are apt fighters and stood our own in Blackfoot’s day.”

“And beyond that?”

“A return to her former glory, should you truly have the strength to power it,” Maud said, not sounding like he thought much of Knell’s chances in doing that. “The Withered Rose is far older than many things that sail the seas today. Our knowledge is not insignificant. And, beyond that, the Withered Rose herself once lived. Returning life to her planks would make her one of the strongest ships in the Sixteen Seas once more.”

Knell paused. “Do you have a navigator?”

“Any true ship has a navigator.”

Knell cleared his throat. “How much energy do you need, exactly?”

Maud’s boney skull split apart in a grim mockery of a smile. “Anything you can offer. The Withered Rose is thirsty, Captain. She has not drunk from the river of life in over a century. Anything will go a long way. But, if you wish to begin restoring the ship’s crew, a single small Boon should suffice.”

Knell didn’t have to think on that offer long. He dug one of the Boons he’d collected over the course of his travels out of his bag and handed it to Maud. The skeletal sailor’s boney hand wrapped around it, and he drew a shuddering breath.

A ripple of green energy washed over the Withered Rose, rattling the planks as it passed by. The ship creaked and Maud’s teeth chattered as green mist wound around his legs, pouring into him. The skeleton’s features grew more defined and the mist encircling him drew back, sinking back into the floorboards.

“Thank you, Captain.” Maud’s voice was firmer and more defined than it had been before. He flexed his hand, studying his boney features, then turned his glowing eyes to Knell. “I am ready to serve. I am no longer at immediate risk of fading away.”

“The navigator?”

“You are looking at him,” Maud said with what was likely a wry grin.

“Clever,” Knell said. “What of the rest of the crew?”

“We will need more power. Are you willing to offer it up?”

“Not yet,” Knell replied after a moment of consideration. “I don’t want to overcommit to anything right now, you will suffice. Now, when you mentioned knowledge of things long forgotten, just how detailed is that information?”

Maud shrugged. “It is hazy to me. I am not as you are any longer. I share a mind with the rest of the Withered Rose’s crew. If you have questions, ask. It is possible that we will know something. If we remember, I will answer. If not, you may need to restore more of us, or we may simply not know at all.”

“That’s not a very good selling point.”

“But you will bite nonetheless,” Maud said. This time, Knell was certain the skeleton was grinning at him. “You are kin of spirit with Blackfoot. I see it in your eyes. You hunger for knowledge, Captain. We will serve to the best of our abilities, so long as you give us the power to.”

We’ll see about that. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on you and the Withered Rose. You’ve already proven that you can tell half-truths and redirect information, and I have no desire to find out that Blackfoot is somehow still wandering around and wants his ship back.

“Very well. Your services are needed at the wheel, then. My crew appears to be struggling with deciphering a map.”

“Of course, Captain. Ever at your command,” Maud said, giving Knell a sharp salute.

“Just like you were for Blackfoot? That loyalty doesn’t seem to have lasted.”

Maud’s teeth clacked in laughter. “No mortal man can hold loyalty after death, Captain.”

“No mortal man indeed,” Knell said softly. “Go on then. Preferably before we run aground.”

Maud saluted again and ambled out of the cabin. Knell watched him go, then turned his gaze down the raven. Its eyes were open, and it was looking straight at him. An unspoken agreement passed between the two, even though neither spoke the same language.

That skeleton does not have our best interests at heart.