Chapter 7: Distortion

Jack opened his eyes wearily. If there was any point to be awake in the locker, he hadn't found it yet over the last few days he'd been wandering about in the unchanging landscape. The remains of the sail used to fly them here were gone, along with Elizabeth and he didn't have to guess the culprit either.

Will's first visit was short. On a swollen-headed voice and in as much time as it would've taken Jack to empty a bottle of rum, the ex blacksmith let him know of the developments, that this was Will Turner's locker now, that he had an unsuspecting Elizabeth, and that Jack shouldn't try anything against him. Will was only present as an illusion, playing with Jack's mind from the far Arctic sea, where he'd just arrived in the flesh with Elizabeth.

Standing up in the grassy plain, Jack rubbed his eyes, trying to make out any Will like form all around in the plenteous green vegetation. The only motion he could register was his own black hair being blown in his face by some light breeze. It didn't change much whether he noticed Will coming or not, but at least he had some warning so he could mentally make himself ready for the torturing and the killing him merciless times that the possessed Will Turner subjected him to, for who know how many days in a row now. At first it was only the one image of Will and Jack had really thought it was his end when Will's sword ran through his guts, but he soon realized his injuries would go away when Will disappeared, they were the same way illusionary as Will was. That minuscule fact didn't make Jack suffer less though and Will didn't enjoy it less either.

With time, the current ruler of the seas became more versed in the black magic that took hold of the humanity in him and more and more Wills appeared at a time, so many Jack had lost count.

The imprisoned pirate captain tried to study each representation of Davvy Jones' successor as much as he could. He was hoping to find one of two things that could've worked to his advantage. If he could spot the real Will somewhere, maybe he could've hurt him back. But more importantly, if he could see anything human or merciful about any of them, perhaps there was a change he could reach Will Turner at a level where he could connect with the man he once called whelp. Yes, Jack had tricked him onto the Dutchman, he did fall in love with another man's fiance and he was only thinking about his own and Elizabeth's safety when faced with the Kraken. They were enemies, but he knew it wasn't really the boy who enjoyed punishing him so. He never thought it'll ever be possible to get Will Turner back from he pull of evil, he did remind himself at times though of the man Will once was.

Thankfully, the encounters never lasted long. The many manifestations of the immortal would vanish again until Will, who was pretending to be an ordinary man in the real world, would have some time to himself away from Elizabeth, when his mind could travel back into the locker, just for some extra special tortment time with Jack.

He should've known there was no mileage in trying to spot Will. Everything was pointless in the locker. Cause this time the illusion appeared right in front of him without any warning and immediately punched him in the face. Hitting back, that would've been a waste of his energy too, he couldn't discomfit the manifestation of a magic trick. He rubbed his jaw idly instead. There was only one Will this time, which usually meant talk.

"I want you to remember next time that Elizabeth's mine."

"There's a next time?" Jack simulated perking up at the prospect, although his voice was hoarse from non use and the lack of rum, "that's good news mate."

The illusion held out his hand for a dagger to be conjured up and didn't even have to make a move to plant it into the pirate captain's shoulder. Again.

Jack's head was spinning. Could Will ever get fed up with the same routine? He thought as he allowed himself down on his knees to get a grip on that reeling motion. Again. He couldn't have lost all that much blood in total as his injuries healed over quickly as if they were illusions themselves, but he hadn't eaten anything during his whole time there in the locker. With a stomach gnawing like that, who would notice a knife in the shoulder?

"I could send you to the ultimate death you know." Will stated.

"Would serve ye no good. She'd tasted freedom, she was given the chance to choose for herself, that'll all she'd want now."

"And who was so adamant and disrespectful of the bonds of an engagement to show her such freedom? A man I sprung from jail and stolen right from the hands of a hangman, risking my own neck!"

"Let us examine that claim for a moment, former law abiding citizen, shall we? Who was it that through circumstances made Lizzie hold the first pirate treasure she ever lay eyes upon? Who was it who encouraged her to say no to her father and the fiance proposed by him? Who was it she fell in love with calling him a pirate even though he was only a blacksmith back then? Who was it that showed her freedom then?"

Will clenched his fists, knowing Jack was right, in some ways anyway. Elizabeth didn't even needed to be shown how to be a free spirit, that was why she'd loved him as well, if she ever loved him at all and it wasn't the idea of freedom she was in love with. Not the less reason however to conjure up another dagger for one of Jack's thighs as well. "I propose a deal," he hissed through clenched teeth, "that or a fate worse than death. I'll let you back into the land of the living if you make Elizabeth believe you're unworthy of her love. Can not be that hard, cause you are, aren't you?"

Jack managed a cacophonic, rough laughter through the pain. It didn't seem like it was going all that well with Lizzie for the eunuch, otherwise he wouldn't need his help. "And ye really think that would end yer suffering, do ye?"

"Think about the offer, it's the best you're going to get." Will disappeared along with all the illusionary physical pain he was causing Jack.

Not that far in the distance, the Kraken looked on as Jack tried to get himself together taking big breaths. She'll not show herself to the prisoner, she only came here to rest again. She seemed to have needed a lot of that, but it didn't surprise her, she was pregnant. Whenever that happened, Davvy Jones would kill off all her offspring so he could control the only Kraken in the seas, afraid of what if there were more than one. She didn't want to find out what her new master would do with her babies. Given the treatment given to his captives in the locker, the prospects of that didn't look all that good. Thankfully, Will Turner didn't know her very well at all and her beasties will come as a complete surprise for him. That, and the fact that the little ones will need to be fed right after they are born. If only she had some allies. Tbc. If only she had some allies.

Tbc