The Heart of Alchemy James Wisher (book recommendations TXT) 📖

casks. The heavy wooden barrels had slots for poles that would allow two men to carry them. He didn’t know how much they weighed full, but whoever got stuck ferrying them wasn’t going to be happy.

The crew lowered them down and they set out for the island. Axel’s boat was already nearing the beach. Hopefully they’d find something edible. Just the thought of fresh, roasted meat set Otto’s mouth to watering.

While the men pulled for shore, Otto sent his sight soaring out ahead of them. If he found a source of fresh water before they landed, that would speed things up considerably.

The beach extended about twenty yards to the edge of the jungle. Under the thick canopy, it was nearly as dark as evening with dappled shadows making it hard to pick out anything that might be lurking in ambush. It was a predator’s paradise and if they didn’t want to end up on the menu, they’d have to be cautious.

He flew up above the treetops and looked down. Soon enough he found a gap in the leaves. Flying over, he saw exactly what he wanted, a clear lagoon. That would be the perfect place to fill the casks. Otto tagged the water’s edge with a thread and returned his sight to his body. They only had a few hundred yards to go to reach shore. Axel and his scouts had already vanished into the jungle.

The front of the dinghy hit the sand and everyone jumped out. Three of the guys pulled the boat further up on the beach then they anchored it in place with a grappling hook and rope.

“So where do we find water?” Hans asked.

“I did some scouting as we approached. There’s a lagoon about half a mile inland. You and I will take point, four others will carry a pair of casks, and the last man will handle the rear. Sound good?”

“Sounds better than wandering at random looking for a puddle,” Cord said. “I volunteer for rear guard duty.”

Hans clapped him on the shoulder. “Good man. That’s the most dangerous position.”

Cord shot him a pained look.

“You weren’t just hoping to avoid hauling water, hmm?” Hans asked.

“Of course not!” His indignant reply rang hollow.

Otto shook his head. “You two can bicker over your card game. I’d like to finish up before something hungry comes looking for us. Did you forget what they call this island?”

“Right, giant beasts.” Hans turned to the men who were lugging a pair of casks out of the boat. “You heard Lord Shenk. Let’s get a move on.”

Two minute later they were on their way through the jungle. The shade made it cooler, but if anything, Otto would have sworn the humidity increased. In fact, if it increased any more it would be raining. A little ways into the jungle they hit a game trail that headed in the right general direction. Despite the risks of running into a predator, they followed it.

Hans had his sword out and his head on a swivel. With just his magical vision, Otto hadn’t noticed how noisy the jungle was. Birds called overhead, some other creature howled in the distance. Insects buzzed and tried to drain his blood. Without success, thanks to the ethereal barrier protecting his exposed skin. From the curses behind him, it sounded like the others were less fortunate.

They had rounded a bend not far from the lagoon when the jungle went silent.

“Lord Shenk.” Hans stopped in his tracks.

The rest of the men set their burdens down and drew their weapons.

“I noticed it too,” Otto said. He sent threads of ether out in every direction in search of whatever had scared the birds into silence.

He found it a moment later. A huge beast crouched behind a wall of low shrubs. It probably waited in ambush on the game trail for whatever came to the lagoon to drink. Like Otto and his companions, for example. Unfortunately for the hunter, they weren’t prey.

Otto wrapped a thread around the beast’s heart and sent lightning crackling down it.

It roared and lunged out of hiding only to die at Otto’s feet.

“What the hell is that?” Hans poked the black-furred creature with his toe.

Otto didn’t know what it was. It looked vaguely catlike, with smooth black fur, six-inch fangs, and a thick tail. That was where the similarities ended. This thing was easily twenty feet long not counting the tail, had six legs ending in long claws, and milky, white eyes.

Whatever it was, hopefully it didn’t have friends.

“Let’s go,” Otto said. “The lagoon is just ahead.”

Five more minutes of walking brought them to the bank of a lagoon that looked like something out of a story. At the far end a waterfall roared as it poured into the pool. Even the air felt cooler here. A long rest would have been nice, but heaven only knew what might show up. Best if they did what they had to do and returned to the ship where the monsters couldn’t reach them.

It took a while to fill the casks and while they were doing it Otto sent Cord back to skin the beast and collect its head, claws, and fangs. Something so rare and exotic might make a good trade item and he wasn’t willing to leave it behind to rot.

Soon they were slogging their way back through the jungle. This time Otto kept threads out all around them just to be safe. With most of the team stuck lugging the now much heavier casks, he didn’t want to take any chances.

The trip back to the beach took nearly three times as long as the walk in. Otto gave the guys a fifteen-minute rest before they set out again with two more empty casks. Nothing troubled them this time. It would probably take some time for another predator to realize the cat thing was dead and move in to claim its territory.

It was a hot, sweaty, exhausted group that made the final trip to the lagoon. Otto hadn’t done much in the