Chapter 415: A Sea Voyage
Chapter 415: A Sea Voyage
When Liam and Rose Crystal woke up the drunken Will and Jack, they hurriedly ran towards the city. Unfortunately, when they arrived, the Black Pearl had already left, leaving the city in chaos.
"Damn it, Elizabeth has been taken by those pirates", Will reported after returning to the Blacksmith's Shop and gathering some information. The news was not good.
"Well, I need to reclaim my ship, and you need to rescue your sweetheart. Let's start an adventure", Jack said, glancing at Liam, who was chatting with Rose Crystal. "I think we first need a ship. Any ideas?"
"Why don't we seek help from the Royal Navy? After all, the Governor's Daughter has been kidnapped", Will suggested.
"Ha, the Royal Navy? They have no idea where the Black Pearl is heading, and it would take them time to mobilize. By then, it might be too late. The fastest way for us is to hope our wizard friend here has a good ship."
"I'm a wizard, not a captain. How could I possibly have a ship?" Liam looked at the expectant eyes of the two men, remembering his steamship, which he thought wouldn't fit in this world. Not only would it look strange, but he didn't think the three of them could operate it.
"Aren't you a wizard? Shouldn't you be able to wave your wand and conjure up a ship?" Jack asked.
"I'm a wizard, not a god. Besides, I can't operate a ship alone." Seeing the disappointed looks on their faces, he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, I do have a ship that the three of us can handle." He then led the two to the clearing by the sea they had bought earlier.
Once they reached the shore, Liam opened a portal over the water, and a beautiful brigantine appeared on the surface. Captain Jack was already marveling at the sight. "Just one side has 23 gun ports. That's some serious firepower. And I bet this thing is fast. Look at those masts and sails."
"Alright, let's get on board. Our pursuit can begin", Liam called out from the deck. "By the way, how are we going to find them?"
"I think they're heading to the island where the Aztec Gold is hidden. I know where that island is. But even if the three of us can sail this ship, we won't be enough for a fight. I suggest we—"
Captain Jack stopped mid-sentence as he saw a magical ship appear. The deck was covered in green plants like a carpet, with countless vines extending to control the sails, rigging, and rudder. The ship's cannons were not made of copper or iron but were strange, long, coconut-like tubes with circular leaves for wheels.
"Welcome to the Jackdaw", Liam said proudly. This ship had been built as a royal cruise ship in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, but Liam and his companions rarely used it, keeping it as part of the Iron Gate Fortress's defensive fleet. Liam had summoned it through Rose Crystal's shrine when he needed it.
"Is this a wizard's ship?" Will exclaimed as he climbed aboard.
"No, it's just my ship", Liam replied, remembering the ship from Durmstrang. "I have a very useful helper, Little Qing. Say hello, everyone."
As he spoke, a large green snake head rose from the plants and nodded at Captain Jack.
"Ah, hello!" Captain Jack waved to Little Qing. "With this, um, Little Qing, I think we won't need to waste time recruiting in Tortuga. We can go straight after the Black Pearl. This will save us a lot of time, and we might even arrive at the treasure island ahead of them."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's set sail", Liam said, gripping the helm. Captain Jack found it strange that Liam, a wizard, was so skilled at handling the ship.
"I learned from a great captain", Liam explained, addressing Jack's curiosity. It turned out that spending a few Deviation Points to learn Kenvi's sailing skills a few years ago had been quite useful, especially when his telepathic pet, Little Qing, could manipulate the ship with its vines. As long as Liam thought of something, Little Qing could immediately adjust the sails or cannons to the ideal position.
Captain Jack and Will began chatting idly, and soon Jack recalled Will's father, Bootstrap Bill Turner. Initially, Will insisted that his father was a law-abiding merchant sailor, but under Jack's persuasion, he came to accept that his father was indeed a pirate. Will seemed to accept this more readily than in the original story, knowing now that not all pirates were bad. From Jack, he learned that his father was one of the good pirates, and it was because of his goodness that he met his end.
"By the way, what's your purpose in helping us? I don't believe in selfless people in this world", Jack suddenly said to Liam, who was steering the ship.
"I want the Aztec gold that's been cursed. If I can figure out the secrets of life and death transformation, I believe it will be a significant step forward in creating the Rose Madonna", Liam replied seriously.
"I believe you, because that answer is very wizard-like", Jack Sparrow shrugged and then wobbled off toward the bow of the ship.
Life Magic was the first important magic Liam had studied. After obtaining knowledge of alchemy and some secrets of the Red God from the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, he had made significant progress. Whether it was transitioning from life to death or from death to life, he had mastered a portion of the knowledge. Even the human resurrection techniques of the Red God were no secret to him.
The Red God could resurrect the dead because the world of A Song of Ice and Fire had no Underworld. As long as the body was not completely dead, the Faith Power could be used to pull the wandering soul back and reanimate the body. This method wouldn't work in Zhongtu or the world of Harry Potter.
However, the transformation of the undead back into living beings was something Liam had never seen before. This was the true magic and value of the Aztec gold. When cursed by the Aztec gold, the cursed individual became an undead being, appearing as a skeleton under moonlight and regaining flesh outside of it. When the curse was lifted, they could return to life. More importantly, as long as the conditions were met, the gold coins could be used to repeatedly transform the individual without any side effects.
Liam planned to study this and then send it to the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. This way, he would have an army of 882 undead soldiers at his disposal. And this undead state could be used only during wars, not in everyday life, and the soldiers could be rotated periodically. This way, there would be no psychological impact.
The journey at sea was entirely guided by Jack's Compass. According to Liam's previous research, the compass combined divination, mind-reading, and even a bit of wish-granting power. However, Liam had no desire to obtain the compass. On one hand, the alchemical knowledge it contained was not complex, just cleverly combined. Liam was confident he could create something similar back home. On the other hand, in the fifth part of the story, the compass was a key to a seal. Liam had no intention of entangling himself in so much causality in this world.
Jack also breathed a sigh of relief, as few people knew the true purpose of his compass. This young wizard not only knew about it but also had the ability to take it. The fact that he merely looked at it without taking it showed that he had no ill intentions. At this point, Jack considered Liam a reliable friend.
Will's impression of Liam was even better, as Liam had given him the chance to marry his beloved and was actively working to rescue her. Naturally, Will was filled with gratitude toward Liam.
Thus, the Jackdaw sailed swiftly across the Caribbean Sea, drawing ever closer to their destination.
(End of Chapter)
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