The Price of Power

Hey there. The usual please.

Oh, it's you. Okay, on it.

I'm hoping we'll be having a proper meal this time...

Oh, just ya wait.

Here it is: Eastern Jelly Surprise with all the toppings: honey, syrup, soy sauce and more!

Again!

We're in Rinde! How could we come here and not have their finest delicacy?!

How on earth do you maintain that physique, eating so much sugar?

That's a trade secret.

Anyway, I'm curious. Do you mind telling me more about that weapon you're after?

I thought ya might ask. Unfortunately, there's not much to tell. I've been mostly goin' off rumors. One thing's for sure: the weapon I'm after is called "Phantom's Bane."

So your plan is to make contacts through this job, in order to find a lead?

Sure, but I'd say I'm havin' a good time with it. This job's a good fit for me.

Ya...need somethin'?

I've got somethin' to sell! A cursed weapon. Ya buy 'em, yes?

Tell me more about it first.

Look, ya gonna buy it or not? If you won't then I'll be gone.

Ya seem to be confused, son. I'm a broker, I don't buy, I find buyers and hook 'em up with sellers. Which is why I need ya to give me the details. Can't sell the weapon if I don't know anythin' about it.

...Indeed.

It was a pirate's life for me. I were a bandit of the sea until...just recently.

You've given up being a pirate then?

Not by choice, o'course. Me crew was wrecked by a cursed ax.

What kind of curse are we talkin' about?

So this ax... It were part of this great haul o'treasure we dug up on some island. From the moment we found it all the baddest things started happenin'. Storms, illnesses, you name it.

And the worst things happened to the crew members, one after the other...

That's terrible...

Yer tellin' me. Our ship was like a morgue by the end. Bein' the only healthy man left, I was entrusted with the ax.

Ya didn't think it best to throw it overboard, and let the waves decide its destiny?

Do that and the curse would worsen a thousand-fold, matey!

Okay, I get it. Might be a bit of a challenge, but I reckon I can find a buyer.

Yer on board then? Thankin' ye. I got no doubts; that cursed ax be why everyone from me ship is dead.

Enough yappin', son. Have ya got the ax on ya? It's essential that I see it before we go any further.

...I buried it. Was hopin' the soul-healin' shores of the Serena Coast might weaken the curse.

Well that's a waste of time.

I'll show ye where I buried it, o'course!

You gonna check it out, Ewan?

...It's a lot of hassle, but I can't be choosin' clients like pick 'n' mix candy.

All right! Just follow me!

Whoa! He ran off quicker than a flash...

Ya'd be in a hurry too if there was a cursed weapon hungry for your life force.

Is it around here then?

......

Hey, what's wrong?

Over there.

What the...

That's it!

P-Please! Take care of 'em!

Now there are four of them! Ya've gotten us into a nasty spot of trouble here, buddy.

This ain't right, says I! Why are there more this time...? I only saw the big one before! Uuwaahhhhh!

Hey! Ya blasted liar, ya were plannin' on foistin' this onto us from the start.

Sounds like more are on their way! Are we going to run or fight?

We could take our chances with this rotten mob, but it'd be wiser to run back to Rinde. We've got some things to straighten out with our former pirate friend.

Got it!

Ya sure made yourself scarce back there, huh.

Ah, they didn't get you! That be a relief.

Tell us what that was about. No lies, no half-truths.

Argh, blast it... All right, it'd be good to get this off me chest anyway. Those zombies... they be me former crewmates.

How is that possible?!

They've been a-hauntin' that spot ever since I washed ashore there. Honestly, I wanted to get rid of both them and the ax in one go.

So? Ya ought to have been up-front. I would've taken this job on anyway.

But the lies go deeper.

What?!

I didn't say nothin' because I thought'd you'd tell me to just live with me choice. But I can't bear it!

Ya might be surprised. So tell us already.

What I said 'bout the ax bein' the source of our misfortune were true. I know it because... Because it were me who took it on board the ship.

I went against me mates' advice and the cap'n's orders. I thought they were just bein' silly, and took it on board anyway.

You took it on board despite everyone's objections?

It wasn't like the cap'n to say no to a treasure. So I knew we'd found somethin' special. Cursed, sure, but a proper treasure all the same.

I thought, "if I become the master of this thing, I'll have the respect of the whole crew!" I was always a tad scrawny compared to some of me shipmates. With that ax, I thought I'd double, no, triple me power level!

......

The cap'n was so wise, but it didn't count for nothin' because he had a numbskull like me in his crew.

...So, what should we do, Ewan?

Well, we can hardly leave those zombies to shamble around of their own accord.

Wah?!

Yeah. Ya remind me of another idiot who did the same kinda thin' as ya.

He got his hands on an extremely powerful weapon, but it was too much for him, or anyone, to handle. It backfired on him. These days he's still goin' about tryin' to make amends.

There might still be some hope for ya, compared to that guy. So are we doin' this, or what?

Gotta scrub the decks of me conscious clean! If yer gonna try and take down me zombie shipmates, I'm comin' with you.

Then let's get down to business.

If they start shambling away from the coast, they could leave a trail of destruction from here to Unigan. We can't allow that.

I ain't ever gonna forget this, sirs!

It's too early to be thankin' us.

Ngh!

Ah, Ewan! Are you hurt?!

...Nah, just had a really intense sugar rush.

Might have gone overboard with the Eastern Jelly Surprise earlier.

What're ya pesterin' me for all of a sudden...

What was that?

Nothin'. Back to the beach, come on.

It's still the four of them.

Any more than this and our chances would be too slim for comfort. Let's go.

It's too late for an apology, I know. But still. I'm sorry 'bout what happened with the ax. I got carried away.

Ya done?

Yeah. I know they can't hear me, but I still wanted to say it. Feelin' a lot lighter now, aye.

All right, let's get to work.

That all of them?

At last!

It's too early to be celebratin'.

Now there are six of them!

This is...too much, says I!

This doesn't look good, there's too many of them!

Havin' ya yappin' in my ear is makin' things a lot worse, ya know.

Who spoke just now?!

W-Where did this come from?!

Hey, no one asked to see your unsightly mug.

Know it? I live it, pal! Ya're tellin' me to borrow that blasted power of yours, right?

Then hand it over already, ya miserable fiend!

Shiver me timbers!

Ya two stay back. I'll pound these fools into the dust.

Taaaaaaake this!

Wow, he was right. He made that look easy.

*huff* *puff* *huff* *puff* *huff*

What the heck was that all about...

Wait, are you okay, Ewan?! Can you stand?

......

I've still got plenty of sugar runnin' through my veins, don't ya worry.

Are you going to explain what just happened?

Where's the cursed ax?

Aye, I'll go get it.

*sigh*

This is it! This be the ax that ruined everything!

...Gotta say, it doesn't look all that special.

That's because it's not special. That's a regular ax ya got there.

Wh-What? Yer pullin' me leg!

Afraid not. There's simply no curse on it. Your captain didn't want it because it's practically worthless, that's all.

But how do ye explain all o'the horrors we suffered? You tellin' me it was just a ton of bad luck all at once?

Storms, sicknesses? They happen. Ya can't accept that? Well, ya're not alone... A lot of folk need to invent stories to help them understand why these things happen, otherwise it's too much to bear.

Now ya can go and live your life. No need to worry about havin' a horrid curse hangin' over ya.

But I be all alone... *sob* The cap'n, and me mates...

Ya didn't give them proper burials, did ya? That's why they became zombies.

I'll see to it they get send-offs fit fer fine seadogs such as them. I'll get some nice stones, dig all the holes...

I'll help out. What about you, Ewan?

Let's get it done.

Thank you.

There be a spot up here covered with flowers. It'll be the perfect place fer 'em.

At last ye can all rest in peace...

......

......

About the ax. If ya don't want it, I'll be happy to take it.

Ye want it? I thought ye be dealin' with weapons of the cursed variety only.

If a weapon's got a curse on it, that's a bonus. There's a good market for regular weapons with bloody backstories too.

It's almost worse, when a weapon that causes havoc isn't cursed, since it means humans are to blame, not evil spirits.

Take it. I'm not interested in makin' no money off it.

Much obliged.

Now go out there and make something of your life.

I will, don't ye worry. I'm gonna find some work. What I'll do, I dunno yet. But it'll be somethin' worthwhile, better than piratin', rest assured.

Ya do that. Ya might yet make more of your life than that idiot I told ya about.

Argh, this is the beginnin' of a whole new life fer me. I'm forever indebted to ye, sirs.

If ya ever run into someone in need of a cursed weapon, tell 'em ya know a handsome expert.

Hah, I'll do that. It's so long fer now then!

Look after yourself!

...Hey, Ewan. Mind telling me more about that "idiot" you mentioned?

It's...nothing.

Well, let's get back to Rinde. We need a good meal after all that. And this time, I'll be the one treating you.

......

Can't say I'm in the mood for that right now, Aldo. Sorry.

Guess I'm more or less on the verge now. It could be weeks or just days until...

Hey, where are you going? Ewan!

"On the verge"? What did he mean by that?