Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

When the mast came down…I knew that I would die. As I lay here, I
prayed to my god…Apedemak. In answer…to my prayer…he granted
me a vision. He promised me…he would send…” He gasped for
breath, then continued, “send me…a good man. And then…I saw…
your face…in my vision.”
“Me?” The poor devil must be off his head with pain, Jack
thought. Look at the angle of his leg…it’s no wonder he’s raving. And
if he’s not, then his god has a cruel sense of humor. The poor devil
prays for “a good man” and he gets me?
“Yes,” The dying man panted for breath. “Apedemak has sent
you…to me. He has chosen…you. Please, sir. You must…listen.”
Where have I heard the name “Apedemak” before? Jack
wondered. “I’m listening,” he said, reassuringly.
“I traveled here…from the island of Kerma,” the man gasped. “I
left…the Shining City, seeking a cure…for my little son, Aniba.”
Jack’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes widened. He couldn’t
possibly have heard him right—could he? “Zerzura?” he blurted. “You
came here from Zerzura?”
The man’s teeth flashed white stained with red, as he tried to
smile. “You know of my island. Good. This proves…the god…sent you
to me. I am Pharaoh Taharka…ruler of Kerma. I wanted…to find…” he
broke off, gasping.
“The cure for Prince Aniba,” Jack said. “Yes. I understand, Your,
uh…Majesty.”
“I knew…when I heard your footsteps…that you were the one.
Apedemak led you…to me,” the pharaoh said. “I prayed so hard…and
I saw the lion god. He promised me…a good man, one who will…go to
Kerma, and tell…tell my queen. I have been gone…many months. But
my talisman guided me. I found the…cure.”
Jack nodded. “That’s good,” he said. “You traveled a long way for
it.”
“I did,” Taharka agreed. “The woman of power…I found her in a
strange house on the Pantano River…swamp…so many candles…”
He had to stop to catch his breath. “She said I must trade for…cure…”
he gasped in pain, then moaned.