The Nekromancer - 72. Chapter 72

Jakun chewed at the dried sausage, his teeth tearing through the meat with little joy. He could barely taste the food, despite being assured it was filled with spice. He couldn’t believe he had killed his tastebuds too. That was just adding insult to injury. Though the lich supposed he didn’t need to eat anymore. His body would go on without the food. It brought up other questions about the needs of his body too; questions like, did he need to sleep? Could he get exhausted as an undead creature?

A commotion erupted across the tavern, a wooden mug colliding with the back of the amurrun’s head. He winced in surprise at the pain, the tavern suddenly falling deathly silent. It was a balm for his injured pride, to know he commanded that kind of reaction.

The scrape of his chair echoed in the tavern, Jeremy frowning at him.

“Jakun, don’t-”

The catfolk held up a hand as he stood up, his eyes scanning the room. Picking up the fallen mug, the lich carried it toward a terrified looking halfling, setting the cup down roughly as he looked down on the thrower.

“You better work on your aim. Anyone else would have come after you,” Jakun said.

“Y-yes sir…”

Looking around at the cowering patrons, the lich added, “This is a nice tavern. Keep it that way.”

Heads ducked, people glancing at him out the corner of their eyes. He could feel Jeremy staring at his back, positive energy building in the cleric’s hand, and it saddened the catfolk.

A hand touched Jakun’s shoulder, the amurrun turning his head to meet Amnor Sen’s eyes.

“We need to talk,” the elf said, motioning toward the exit.

Nodding, Jakun followed the paladin, Jeremy walking behind him as though preventing him from running. But the catfolk wouldn’t think that way. He would still hold onto the hope that they could remain friends, or at the very least peaceful.

Amnor Sen held open the bedroom door, Jakun’s ears betraying his emotions as he entered the room. The paladin pointed to the bed as Jeremy closed the door, waiting for Jakun to sit.

“I see no point in making you suffer,” Amnor Sen said. “You are not going to be destroyed.”

Jakun let out a relieved breath. He would not have been able to fight them off if they had chosen to kill him. To not have to worry about Amnor Sen destroying him was a relief.

“Amnor Sen, he’s evil. He is an undead-” Jeremy protested.

“I know he’s evil. He has run a razor thin line since we met him. However, to my knowledge, he has not willingly caused harm.”

The elf looked Jeremy over, a heavy breath escaping him.

“Jeremy, we have spent months at his side, helping him, guiding him as best we can. Now that it seems we failed, would you wipe him off the Material Plane and destroy what has been a good friendship to this point?”

Jakun watched the cleric squirm, conflicted himself.

“I… I don’t think I’m evil. People died for me, but they said they were okay with it,” the lich said. “And I did this to give myself time to work. I still want to free people.”

“Regardless of what you think, you are evil Jakun. The gods decree that anything undead is evil. But so long as you don’t let your evil nature consume the good in you completely, I will be on your side,” Amnor Sen said. “Jeremy, do you remember why we went through Geb?”

“Because you wanted to find a redeeming quality in the undead that roamed there,” Jeremy sighed. “I can’t say that I approve of this. There are better ways to gain time to work.”

The cleric stared at Jakun, revulsion in his eyes.

“I’m still amurrun Jeremy. And I can feel your hatred. I would never force you to work with me. But I merely wish for Amnor Sen to ensure I remain good. The ritual… my death, it’s left me with a tenuous attachment to the world at best. And I don’t want that to slip away. I don’t want immortality if it means that I become unable to feel anymore,” Jakun said quietly. “I will be leaving for Mechitar in the morning. I have business there before going to kill Loran. I do not want you two to come with me.”

Amnor Sen frowned, shaking his head.

“No, we agreed-”

“I saw Jeremy die. And Anya. Pharasma sent me a vision of what would happen if I went down this path, but I refused to listen. Anya died because of it, and she is trapped somewhere she can’t return from. I can’t let Jeremy fall to the same fate,” Jakun interrupted. “Please. Just keep my mother’s box safe. That will be help enough, giving me a safe place to be reborn if I am killed.”

“I do not like this,” Jeremy said. “By helping him, aren’t we declaring ourselves against Pharasma?”

“I had not thought of that,” Amnor Sen frowned. “I suppose we are, though I bear no ill will against the Lady of Graves. Nonetheless, Pharasma has no power over us. Shelyn will protect me, just as Cayden Cailean will protect you.”

“The only way Cayden Cailean would accept me helping you is if you actually do pursue the freedom of slaves across Golarion,” Jeremy said, looking at Jakun.

“That is my goal, once I have dealt with my personal issues.”

“You are on thin ice, Jakun. I can’t believe this is the path you have chosen,” Jeremy added.

“I know. And I will strive to ensure my fights are for the good of others,” Jakun replied. “Now, I do need to get to Mechitar. I’m not sure exactly how long my transformation took though.”

“It’s early spring,” Amnor Sen said. “The Wayfarer should be leaving in two weeks, if the information the half orc gave me is still good. I’ll check on it, assuming you still plan to go to Absalom with us?”

“I’m not sure that I can kill Ivris in two weeks,” Jakun frowned. “But I’m willing to try.”