The Death Whisperer

Half past eleven at the Bonaville North Cemetery. Hidden among messy rows of graves stacked on top of each other from the lack of space. Laying on Diego's lap under the mango tree. George Dickman finally opened his eyes.

He was greeted by a young man with auburn hair and dark eyes, peering worriedly at him. It was Diego. And unlike earlier, he no longer looked like someone who just got out from a murder scene. He seemed to have changed into a new robe as well. George also noticed the bondage wrapped around his arm.

"Oh! You're awake. Feeling better now?" Diego asked him while helping him to sit.

George didn't answer. He was feeling queasy and cold sweat drenched his back. He was dizzy and his head hurts like hell. As if somebody put his head in a box and shook it mercilessly. He wanted to puke.

Then he tried to look around to assess his current situation only to realize he didn't have strength at all.

He always felt extreme fatigue whenever he uses his ability. This was the first time he passed out though.

In the first place, doing it consumes energy and he hadn't eaten lunch and dinner. He was also tired from all the running so it was actually a surprise he got away with just a nosebleed and passing out. Considering the size of the dude.

"So… What now?" He finally asked.

Diego thought for a while, thinking of a better way to convince George to come with him without sounding like a conman hoping to swindle him. "How about we introduce ourselves properly first?" He told George. "As I said earlier, I'm Diego. Diego McKenzie. A treasure hunter and I've been hoping to find someone like you," he started but immediately regretted it after he saw George's skeptical face.

"Nice meeting you, Diego. I'm George Di…just George. And what do you mean by that? What do you need me for and what the heck was that dude earlier?"

"Exactly like I said. I have the map to the treasure island where unimaginable riches lie and could supposedly grant the wish of anyone who finds it but I couldn't go there alone because of the obvious danger. And that is why I needed you. And that person earlier? He used to be my companion who drank the potion he bought from a witch in the back alley and you can probably guess. It was a sham."

Diego figured it was better to tell the truth without going in circles. Of all the things he hated, he hated complicated stuff the most.

George gasped. "I am so sorry!" He apologized at once. He remembered how he mercilessly turned the guy into dust in front of Diego. 'It must be a cruel thing to look at,' he thought.

"Oh, no! Please don't. You don't need to apologize. He'll revive a hundred years from now. I mean, if he wishes to, that is."

George was confused. "Uh, forgive me but I'm afraid I don't quite follow you."

Then Diego's mouth turned into 'O'. His eyes were unbelieving. "Nuh-uh! Don't tell me you don't know."

George shook his head.

"Really?"

"Really," George responded.

***

At the Zudril Sea where thunderless lightning strikes and waves undulate savagely like roaring mountains. An enormous pirate ship was being tossed as if a giant was playing with it.

It was fast enough to flee from anything worrisome. Large enough to store any loot. And strong enough to sustain any attacks.

But unlike normal pirate ships, it was obsidian black and it needed not to be manned. For it can man its own in the presence of the captain.

To the land folks, this ship is merely a legend. One of the countless drunken stories. 'The Death Whisperer' is what they call it.

It only travels by night. And it was said that if you ever saw it, run as fast as you can and never look back lest you wish to become part of its undying crews, forever trapped in its clutches with no chance of escape.

But it wasn't merely a legend. The undying crews can testify to that. Some have been there for months, some decades. Tried killing themselves only to find resurrecting on the deck.

*creak!

The captain stepped out of his cabin. He has seaweed-like hair, has a seaweed-like smell, and wore a seaweed-colored coat.

He has a blank look on his face, it was always blank. And eyes so dead as if his soul had been sucked out of him.

Every step he took echoed throughout the ship. The undead crews stared at him, they followed his every action as they held their breaths.

Some readied their weapons, some withdrew in their cabins. Not everyone wishes to partake. Some thought it was stupid. Some just didn't care.

There was an undying rule in the ship: Whoever kills the captain will become the next captain.

It has become a tradition of some sort. Whenever the captain stepped out of his cabin, it's an invitation to be attacked. It keeps them hold on to whatever was left of their sanity. It gives them hope.

Hope that by becoming a captain, they'll finally be freed from the curse of the undying wraith.

If only they knew. Knew how wrong it was to hold on to that hope.

Unaware that the only fate that awaits the captain's death is another cycle of undying misery—becoming part of the ship itself.

That is why in all the versions of 'The Death Whisperer', people always claimed they could hear guttural screams of men asking for help. Pleading to just kill them. Pleading to be freed.

They were the souls of all the captains who couldn't rest in peace.

And legend has it that just by hearing this could possibly drive a person mad. That's why you can seldom see people living by the sea.

Because even if they say it was just a legend, there is this deep-rooted fear, primal if you would, that just makes anyone tremble.

But this time, however, something different happened. Before the captain could even draw his sword, the ship shook violently and let out an ear piercing screech, (if that's even possible).

Then suddenly, one part of the ocean bubbled. And from there, an enormous tentacle, about a hundred feet long rose and stretched towards the starless sky, rows of suckers running its length.

Everyone stopped. Everyone was looking at the same thing.

Series of lightning struck the ocean. It illuminated the surrounding area. Then everyone got a clear view of what they were gonna be dealing with.

A kraken.