Nothing eventful happened last night and as dawn arrived Huld came out of the wagon before lighting the dead campfire with a spell and setting up a kettle. He quickly brews some coffee, eats some dried meat and then packs up. He shows Tom how to harness the donkey to the wagon and they set off towards New Orleans.
They quickly come across a road and head in one direction. Huld teaches Tom how to steer the reins and then lays back with his top hat covering his face. As they drive in silence Tom asks, "Why don't you treat me worse? I figured as your zombie you'd boss me around more than you do..."
Huld frowns ever so slightly, "While you could be considered my slave I have a particular hatred for that word. As a voodoo zombie instead of the necromantic zombie you have a thought process. It rubs me the wrong way."
Silence returns for a while until Tom remembers his question, "Huld, what's a talent?"
"A talent is a certain skill that benefits oneself. Usually inherent or received from gods, spirits, or other magical beings. Why?" Huld explains.
"Last night I discovered I had one called friend of nature." Tom replies carefully.
"Mmm, they form and reside in your spiritual sea. I've heard friend of nature looks like a tree."
Luckily Huld didn't seem suspicious however he pipes up again, "Don't tell anyone your talents, not even me. They're usually regarded as hidden cards in battle."
"Gotcha." At least Huld seems like a good man. Maybe he noticed something was up, but doesn't care enough to inquire further.
The day passes slowly and they stop for a little in a clearing at noon. Huld once again eats some dried meat and then hands him an old book titled 'Herbs and Plants, Their Various Uses.'
"Read that fully and memorize it, you're going to help me with my work from now on. I'll drive the rest of the day."
Huld and Tom sit back on the carriage and Tom flips open the book. The first paragraph reads, 'Herbs and plants are powerful gifts of nature. Some can kill a man with just a touch, many can be used as a catalyst for spells, while some even prey on other living creatures for sustenance. Yet these herbs and plants can bring wealth and power to a smart person who understands and uses them correctly. This brings us to the great profession of herbology.
As Tom reads, the book introduces a vast number of herbs and their properties. It provides illustrations and is rather thick with Tom only getting through a fourth of the book by the end of the day. He's thankful that he absorbed that treant and his memory got better otherwise there's no way he could have even made a dent in the book.
Tom tried to absorb some more spirits along the way, even what looked like a human hunter, but to no avail. He's curious as to how he'll manage to do that again as the spirits are obviously not a part of his mind anymore. He doesn't think it's possible for him to come up with the full lifespan of a treant.
They eventually make camp for the night and after eating Huld steps into his wagon to rest. The night passes uneventfully. This goes on for a few days until in the middle of one night Huld jumps out of his wagon. He passes a dagger with a skull on it to Tom and says, "Prepare for a fight."
Huld lights a red candle and sticks it atop of a black cane. It illuminates the surroundings however unbeknownst to Tom as the candle is lit Huld's shadow breaks off from him and heads into the forest somewhat like Peter Pan's shadow in the animated movie.
"What is it Huld?" Tom asks while surveying the surroundings.
He doesn't reply to to Tom and instead calls out in their opposite direction. "Come out I know you're there."
After he says this what looks like a Catholic priest and two temple knights without helmets on come out. "Huld Debone you are under arrest for cursing a prominent and devout believer of the church. Please come with us willingly or we will use force. "
Tom looks somewhat shocked at Huld to only get a smile and these words, "Why do you think I woke you from death. Hold back the knights for a while I'll handle the priest." The rune on his hand flashes making it an order.
Seeing Huld has no intent of complying the two knights walk forward while the priest watches. Somewhat scared of the swords in the knights hand but compelled to follow Huld's order Tom readies himself clenching the dagger and walks forward to stop just out of reach of the knights.
Huld and the priest stare at each other and Huld moves first. The candle's flame on his cane grows into a fiery snake that lashes out quickly towards the priest. However it's blocked by the priests cross necklace that forms a barrier of golden light. As this happens the knights swing out their swords towards Tom.
Using pure instinct, Tom dodges one sword however the other leaves a small cut on his arm. Yet Tom quickly realizes he feels no pain and no blood is flowing out. The knights who cut him goes, "Tsk zombie, aim for the head!"
However how could Tom let their overextension by without punishment. He quickly moves into his daggers range and aims a slice at one of their throats. Unfortunately he just nicks the knights throat slightly before the knight leans back in response. As they go back and forth, Tom slowly receives more wounds that don't bleed. All the while he pays attention to Huld's situation.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem good as he's panting heavily and the flame snake is not nearly as powerful as it was before. After a minute or so of high intensity fighting Huld's snake disappears. The priest smiles and says, "I can sense you're out of mana, although it's pretty obvious to the eyes. Time to end this."
As he finishes his sentence he begins chanting a prayer. Huld stares at him tiredly while Tom begins to despair. Tom feels a deep sense of helplessness while he's still fending off the knights who are now only half heartedly fighting him. But just as the priest is finishing his prayer, Huld's missing shadow emerges from the priest's own shadow immediately stabbing a dark knife through the barrier and his heart.
The priest's chant is interrupted as he looks down at his chest and the shadowy knife dripping dark blood down to the ground. "Damn black magic.." the shadow separates from the priest and quickly heads to the two knights who are panicked at the moment trying to retreat. Tom is holding them for the moment and as the shadow arrives they quickly work together to finish off the two.
Tom sees the souls of the knights and priest release from their bodies and be pulled into the sky by some force. Perhaps their god is calling them to his divine kingdom. He feels a slight pulling force from his eyes start as he looks at the souls but he suppresses it not intending to offend a god by stealing a devout soul.
Huld calls his shadow back and it reattached itself as if nothing has happened. "Before you ask, I offended the church a couple months back and have been on the run since. They finally caught up and that's why I raised you from the dead."
"I guess you're lucky I'm not too bad in a fight huh?" Tom jokes.
"Don't be silly I checked back in your town with locals before raising you. I don't rely on luck. Even without memories your instincts are there. Your muscle memory is still there." Huld replies haughtily.
'I guess this body was a bit of a fighter.' Tom thought to himself.
"Come on let's get those cuts fixed, that's the problem with zombies they don't heal on their own."
Huld motions for Tom to come over and pulls out a jar from his satchel. In it is a thick brown paste he rubs into Tom's wounds before sewing them shut with surprising skill. Noticing Tom's surprise he says, "You have to learn how to sew wounds traveling alone in this half wild country."
"Gotcha." Tom mumbles wondering about Huld. Neither of them know much about each other.
Just as he was about to ask about how Huld offended a major church Huld speaks up, "How have you come by on the Herb book I gave you?"
"Im just about finished, but the better topic is why are you being hunted by a major church?" Tom inquires.
Huld sighs before saying, "I cursed a prominent donor and believer to the church in my hometown. He died miserably and that's the end of that."
"But why—"
Tom is quickly interrupted by an agitated Huld, "Don't ask too many questions boy!"
Tom quiets down as Huld finishes treating Tom's wounds. Tom goes back on watch as Huld goes into the wagon saying, "There shouldn't be any more hunters from the church, the guy I killed wasn't too important. Just slightly influential, worth some coins."
Tom spends the rest of the night burying the priest and knights and finishing the herb book, as Huld comes out in the morning he sees Tom closing the book and smiles. He tells Tom that he'll teach him how to use that knowledge later in the day and that they should get away from the dead clergymen.