The Dreadful Hunt by J. E. Thompson

Author:J. E. Thompson [Thompson, J. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arc Book Club, LLC
Published: 2021-05-29T22:00:00+00:00

The Second Island

“This is crazy,” Vexx muttered to himself as their fishing boat slid alongside two other fishing crafts on the increasingly narrow slice of beach. “It’s like Fallanden during rush hour.”

He squinted ahead.

They had perhaps an hour or two of light left before dusk settled in, and already, a few bonfires were blazing along the beach, bringing with them a strangely festive atmosphere. The scent of burning logs and cooking oil mingled with the salty tang of the sea air as the dungeoneers pulled the fishing boat a little further up the shore.

“That…should be good,” Vexx panted, mopping the sweat from his brow as the others beached the boat.

“I don’t know, Master,” Shyola mused, looking around in annoyance. “For all those boats by this island, there look to be dozens more adventurers. Most of them must have gotten here on the ferry.”

She scowled at one bonfire, where a circle of rowdy dungeoneers bellowed a hearty drinking song. One sloshed ale over the fire, and the flames sputtered as a few drops landed in it.

“I don’t trust these sorts.”

“Hmm…” Vexx scratched at the stubble on his chin. “We might have to split up tonight. Shy, keep an eye on the boat. Kaylin and I will hurry through the island and pick as many herbs as we can. We’ll probably have to camp out.”

“You and the elf, huh?” Shy remarked, frowning from Vexx over to Kaylin. “Fine, Master. I’ll guard the boat while you go pulling up herbs left and right. But if anyone tries to take this from me…” she grinned. “They’ll lose their souls along with their lives.”

“That works for me,” Vexx said, already pushing through the beach. A few chatty dungeoneers wandered around as he and Kaylin hurried past.

“Is the island normally this busy?” Kaylin asked in astonishment.

“I doubt it. Rumors must have gotten around.” Vexx gritted his teeth. “And Dred Wyrm isn’t even here yet! I bet it’ll get even worse tomorrow.”

“Yeah, the ferry won’t even go there,” a muscular elf was saying, shaking his head at his companion, a gray-bearded man boasting shamanic tattoos all over his chest. “They say it’s death to set foot on Blackscale Island, but it’s gotta be there, right? No one else is even going there…”

Their voices became too faint to hear as Kaylin and Vexx pushed through a throng of dungeoneers, noticing that most looked disappointed as they returned from the inner parts of the forest to the beach.

“Did you hear those two? An island that no one’s visiting?”

Kaylin paused to nod briefly before darting away.

“We can check it out tomorrow, Vexx. There’s a lake up ahead.”

The two of them hurried forward, noticing a cluster of the telltale reddish-purple roots. Then, a noise echoed from inside a tent, and a cranky dwarf poked his head out to glare at them.

“I’m camping here. Find your own spot.”

“You can have it,” Vexx said, reaching for a root. “I just want some of—”

The dwarf growled a warning, raising a rusty falchion. The heads

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