Shadow Gold - Immortal

“Tell me the truth,” he said. “Do I need this to save my life?”

“Ha-ha!” the Shadow Lord barked, overhearing only Jack’s end of the conversation. “You are a fool, Jack Sparrow. The Shadow Gold is so much more than a cure for the shadow-sickness. How do you think I became the way I am?” His evil grin gleamed from the shadows of his face once more.

Jack wrinkled his nose. “Too much rum?” he guessed worriedly.

“It was the Shadow Gold,” the dark figure said, pointing at the vial in his hand. “Seven of those vials, exactly like the one you hold in your hand. And here I am now…living forever, master of all the shadows, greatest alchemist and pirate who ever lived.”

“Well, I don’t know about the ‘greatest pirate’ bit—” Jack started to argue, but the Shadow Lord interrupted.

“I had just enough orichalcum left for seven more vials,” he went on, his eyes glittering with hatred. “I thought to myself…perhaps one day I would take an apprentice. Perhaps one day I would train someone to control the shadows by my side. But as the years wore on, I became more and more certain that there was no one worthy of such a prize.” He narrowed his eyes. “Least of all *you*, of all pirates.”

“You do like to talk a lot, don’t you?” Jack said. “As it so happens, I don’t want to be anything like you anyway.”

“Ha!” said the Shadow Lord. “Who wouldn’t want to be like me? I shall live forever!”

***

Day of the Shadow, Chapter 17