The beast's once brawny arms began to wither, its towering frame shrinking as its fur vanished into the night.
At the end of this grotesque transformation lay a pallid, naked man, face-down on the cold ground.
Ort stepped closer, recognizing the figure with dawning horror.
"No."
"It can't be."
He knelt beside the body, flipping it over gently.
"Ret?"
"By the seven seas, it's Ret!"
The shocked crew gathered around the once-mighty beast, now a mere human.
"Blast it, Ret was the beast all along! It makes sense now, but why? He seemed so frail, with dark circles 'round his eyes, always helpin' folks despite his own weak state. It's a cruel twist, hidin' such power beneath a thin façade." Ort murmured, cradling Ret's head in his hands.
Jack's mind raced like a stormy sea. 'The disappearances, always just before the beast made its grand entrance, it all makes sense now. His powers are like nothin' I've ever laid eyes on. Even the clawed fiend we fought didn't change like this. There's a reason behind it, and I'll unearth the truth once I get nearer to the Linker circles. I missed me chance to grill the old captain at the tavern; he seemed to hold a trove of knowledge about the Linkers. No time for musing now.'
Mary, her hands gleaming with electricity, hopped in place before crouching beside Ret.
She laid her hands on his chest, crackling with electrical power. Her effort burned a mark into his flesh before Ort intervened, grabbing her arms.
"Hold yer horses! What be ye doin'?"
Mary grinned mischievously, "Just makin' sure he be truly dead. Fufu."
Truth be told, she'd been itching for a fight, only to be relegated to a mere light source and stun device. She was venting her frustrations.
Sizzle, sizzle.
They turned their attention to the sound. From Ret's chest emerged a stone artifact, blackened and stained with blood.
"Step aside," Jack commanded, crouching to examine the artifact. Its surface bore three claw-like lines, its hue distinct from other stones.
'This stone be brimmin' with dark energy. It feels alive, pulsatin' with an invisible force,' Jack mused, feeling an unsettling pull in his gut.
"La-Mary, come closer."
Ort interjected, "What's that? Why did it—"
"No time for questions, Ort," Jack said, his tone firm and his gaze icy.
Though puzzled and curious, Ort respected Jack's command. "Oi, scatter! Let the hero of Howling Treetops work his magic," he ordered, waving his hands to clear a space for Jack and Mary.
'Smart move.'
"Aye, Cap'n. This stone be unlike any we've seen. What ye want to test?" Mary inquired, illuminating the area with her electricity.
"I can't rightly put it into words, the sensation when I hold it," Jack replied, gripping the stone tightly.
'Cap'n's actin' queer since he touched the stone,' Mary noted with concern.
"This could very well be a cursed artifact from legends, the likes of which—"
'He be wantin' me to try holding it but don't want to part with it, so he keeps yappin' like a parrot squawkin' at a shiny trinket.'
"Where ye lookin', I see ye from the corner of me eye. MARY, FIX THINE EYES ON ME," Jack barked, his voice gravelly with an aggressive edge.
It was strange to see Jack, usually so confident, so easily dominated and not resisting.
He remained fixated on the stone, his body leaning in as though he wanted to merge with it.
'I could lend a hand, but by the seas, I'm savorin' his frantic jabbering like a ship's crew watching a scallywag squirming on on a plank, tryin' to buy time while the cursed stone be calling the shots.'
"LET THERE BE MORE LIGHT, MARY. I can't see the stone clear," Jack demanded, his voice strained.
"No," Mary said firmly.
"YOU DAMN WENCH! When ye talk to me like that, it stirs a dark urge... to strip ye bare, bind ye with vines, and torment ye with a blade dipped in rotting flesh before having my way with you and then ki—"
Mary's smile faltered, her eyes widening with shock. She was reminded of her childhood and the harsh memories with Tesco's care. Jack's words cut deep, even though she knew he didn't truly mean them. Regret surged through her as she cursed herself for not acting sooner.
"AAAAAH, YE SEA LASS WENCH—"
A jolt of electricity shot through Jack's arms, the stone clattering to the ground.
Mary's smile was thin, masking her true feelings. "Cap'n Jack Seadog be back from the brink," she said, though her eyes betrayed her true emotions.
"Oi," Jack said, gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently. "I'm truly sorry, Mary. The words I spoke weren't from me heart. 'Twas the stone's influence."
Mary pushed his arm away and adjusted her stray hair irritating her eye.
'Did she did she just wipe a tear?'
The dim light played tricks on Jack's eyes, making him misinterpret her actions.
He quickly tap walked towards her, crouching low, his knees acting as pillars for his arms that held her shoulders again. He leaned side to side, akin to how a penguin walks, trying to hold her close.
Seeing her captain resemble a true sea dog made Mary's composure falter, her cheeks reddening as she fought back laughter.
"Haha..."
Startled by her loud laugh, Jack lost his balance, falling backward and bringing Mary down with him. They landed face-to-face, with her atop him.
Instead of scrambling to get up, Mary lingered, gazing into Jack's eyes, her cheeks flushed. Her breathing quickened.
Jack maintained eye contact, his gaze moving from her lips to her eyes and back again. She mirrored his gaze unconsciously.
Weeks of shared nights and close proximity had woven a profound connection between them. As the days gave way to evenings, their camaraderie would transform into something softer and more intimate. They'd drift into sleep curled up together, in a warmth of their shared embrace.
Mary's arms, once propping Jack's head, began to slip. She was pressed against him, feeling the pulse of his arousal against her lower stomach. In the heat of the moment, she shifted forward slightly, pressing down.
'Jack. Move, ye blundering fool. Ye can't do this now. Bad luck, Jack. Bad... She's down, bad.'
Jack's arousal throbbed in rhythm with his heartbeat, pressing against her in a way that sent shivers through her. Their thin clothing did little to obscure the sensation.
He, breaking from his usual restraint, wrapped his arms around her and moved his hips in various directions, rubbing against her.
'Damn it all, I want him. All of him.'
"Oi!" Ort's voice broke through, approaching the two with concern. "What's goin' on here?"
He saw them on the ground but not entwined since Mary had rolled away swiftly.
"Why are ye two sprawled out? Did somethin' happen?"
"Uhm, remember that stone ye saw?"
"Aye?"
"It's an evil artifact. We've just freed ourselves from its control."
'That makes sense. No way I could feel such things about a dog like Jack. It was the artifact. Aye.' Mary thought, nodding in agreement.
The so-called evil artifact had played no part in their close encounter. It lay on the ground, still and unremarkable, though its dark aura remained.
Ort pointed at the stone as it began to wriggle away on its own. "It's movin'!"
Heads turned to the artifact, which lay motionless. Mary, half-standing, approached it, electrifying the air with rhythmic pulses from her fingers.
"Here, kitty kitty. Come to me," she taunted, shooting electricity at the stone.
The stone evaded the attack with surprising agility.
"I thought Ort must've been mistaken," Mary muttered, surprised.
"Don't let it touch ye," Jack warned, rising and grabbing his tricorn hat. He lunged, using the hat to trap the artifact.
The stone writhed in futile resistance before becoming still. Jack wrapped it in cloth, revealing a grayish hue with dark specks, rather than its previous black.
"What's this?"
"Not only is it no longer movin', but its color's changed," Jack noted. "Mary, ye know me best." He touched the stone again, feeling the malevolent energy, but much diminished.
"The evil's lessened. There's still a faint trace, but not like before." He rewrapped the artifact.
'I'll keep it locked up on the ship. Can't risk it bein' tossed to sea or sold. It might resurface as a new beast.' Jack resolved.
"Mind explainin' what in the blazes happened?" Ort asked.
"Over a dozen Rak'vanas, fer sure!" Mary declared before Jack could respond.