Chapter 3 - Will We Make It Through the Night?

They had arrived at the house as the sun drew close to the western horizon. Froggy’s home was a rough shack built on a dry field in the marsh. A split-rail fence surrounded the stead, creating a modest yard where Froggy kept some of his tools and grew a small variety of crops.

In the middle of the yard was a fire pit with a tripod over it. Froggy started a fire and set a pot of beans and tubers to hang from the tripod.

“I think we’ll still have to sleep outside,” said Edwin to Emiko. “That house is too small for all of us. At least we’re on dry ground and there’s a fence around us.”

“Yes! We should give thanks to the ame no mitsukai for guiding us here,” said Emiko.

“The what?”

“Ame no mistukai. I believe you call them… hounds of heaven. Messengers. Guides. Guardian spirits,” said Emiko. “Now, let us see; I know I have some incense somewhere in this bag.”

“Oh. Yeah. You’re talking about alefs. Divine spirits as opposed to natural ones. You can go ahead and do that. I’m not exactly the praying type.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because the world isn’t governed by otherworldly spirits. The world is governed by the laws of alchemy, and they don’t care if I pray to them. Alchemy is the only means to truth, and all religions will one day be explained by alchemy.”

Emiko was unsure what to do with this. She had not been raised to believe much, but her family often burned incense as thanks to the invisible powers which gave them a good rice crop or healed them from illness. They asked nothing of these ame no mitsukai, but her father said it was always important to give thanks.

So, if Edwin didn’t want to give thanks, I will just have to give thanks for both of us. We would not want our guardians to feel disrespected. Emiko went off to a corner to burn her incense and pray.

The food was ready a little after the sun had set. “Comm’n git it!” Froggy had yelled for them, then handed them wooden bowls of stewed beans and tubers with little bits of meat in them.

“Froggy, uh, this isn’t, uh, lizardboy meat, is it?” asked Edwin with a sour look on his face.

“Naw. Dem there’s legs o’ some frogs. Take de legs. Cut’em off. Toss’em in. Got uh nice frog leg stew dere.”

Edwin sighed with relief. Frog leg. I heard him say frog leg. I guess it should be okay to eat.

“Whatchya think?” asked Froggy. “Is good, no?”

“Oh, let’s see,” said Edwin before blowing on a spoon full. With a bit of trepidation, he put the spoon into his mouth. Mmm. Not bad. Little spicy. Needs some salt. Very spicy. I actually really like the frog legs. Very very spicy! “It’s very good, Froggy, but do you happen to have any ale or anything to wash it down with?”

“Ho ho, you gotta face red like de lil girl who nervous. Lil girl ovah dere more like a man dan you be. Lookit’er scarfin’ down at de stew. Nevah seen a lil girl eat suh fas’.”

“Hot! Hot!” said Edwin, panting, his face only getting redder.

Froggy marched off and came back with a wooden mug full of ale, chuckling all the way. He handed the mug to Edwin. Edwin chugged the draught and swished it around in his mouth.

“Froggy sir, may I have some more of your delicious stew, please sir?”

“Why yes indeedy, lil missy!”

“Say, this is pretty good ale, Froggy. Thank you!”

Butcher leapt up, barking with the full fury of his breed. His booming voice echoed out across the waters of the marsh.

“What doin’, boy?”

Edwin and Emiko locked eyes; they heard the noise at the same time, creeping up their spines like cold spiders.

“Wolves,” said Edwin as more howls were loosed into the night sky. “Shouldn’t be a big deal. Just don’t let Butcher outside the yard.”

“Are those normal wolves?” asked Emiko. “I have never heard such fearsome howling.”

“Uh, well, to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever heard wolves howl…” said Edwin as he scratched the back of his head. “I grew up in a city. I guess all I’ve ever heard is dogs. Maybe you’re right, Emiko. Let’s play it on the safe side.” Besides, this is no place for wolves. There's too much water. There's no way they could hunt in this marsh. Maybe we're hearing them from just beyond the edge. No, they’re closer than that. We're a few miles from the edge of the marsh, if I'm not mistaken.

Froggy grabbed his pike. He ran over and stood by Butcher who still barked with fury into the blue night. Emiko ran over to join them. Edwin stayed still, watching the three face the darkness as he contemplated their next move.

Emiko could make out faint silhouettes only because they were blacker than the night’s starry and lunar glow. The lights of the night reflected off of yellow eyes. The yellow eyes moved side to side, staring back at Emiko with a hot hunger or cold cruelty (she couldn’t tell), only stopping and disappearing to howl. Back and forth. Back and forth paced the wolves like fervent fighters exhilarated with the anticipation of step into battle.

“We cannot fight them,” said Emiko. “There is too many of them. Dozens plus dozens in each direction. What do you normally do, Froggy sir?”

“Normal? Not normal! Nevah seen wolves like dis!”

“I understood that… Why is it always bad news that’s so clear?” said Emiko.

“I have an idea,” said Edwin, calmly shouting to his friends as he stood up.

Froggy and Emiko looked back at him, blinking, waiting for him to finish.

“We’re going to use fire.”

“What do you mean, Edwin?”

“More specifically, we’re going to use alchemy and fire. Here, Emiko. I brought a few fire flasks with me. Get a lantern and carry one around. Make sure none of those wolves gets too close to the fence. You know how to use them, right?”

“Yes,” said Emiko. “Light the end in the lantern and throw.” She remembered being a child. She remembered her father teaching her and her sisters how to light and throw fire flasks, playing with them like toys.

She could almost hear the breaking glass, see the splashing liquid bursting into flames, and feel the warmth as they giggled and watched the fire burn and crackle on the ground. And then, as suddenly as she remembered oh, she forgot it all, pushing down the memories: now is not the time to think back on what was good. Those memories will only make you cry. Let it go, Emiko. Focus on here and now.

“Good,” said Edwin as he handed Emiko three flasks from his pack. “Froggy, I want you to build a bonfire here as big as you can, but I want it to last all night.”

“Okay,” said Froggy. He set to start building up the blaze.

“What about you?” asked Emiko.

“There’s a spell I want to try. It’s called Candle Mimicry. With as much time as I have to cast and recast it, I’m wondering just how much fire I can actually produce. Don’t worry though; the fire I’m producing will only give off light. There will be a little heat, but it won’t burn. That’s where you and Froggy come into play, Emiko. Butcher and I are just the bark, but you two have to be the bite. Let’s get to it.”

Emiko stayed alongside Butcher, running around the yard as he barked and bellowed at the wolves in the night. Emiko kept the lantern and a fire flask in hand, ready to light the flask and throw it at any moment.

Froggy loaded hunks of wood into a wheelbarrow. He pushed them over to the fire pit and started building a larger bonfire. Under the howl of wolves in the black night, he worked tirelessly, rushing back and forth, loading and dumping pile after pile of wood.

First thought Edwin let’s try and give that bonfire a little more life. A quick spell to remove the elements of water from the wood so that it will burn brighter and hotter more readily. I’ll remove the elements of water, and I’ll replace those with elements of fire, making the wood something more like coal. Less like spells and more like magical improv, but who doesn’t like a little shock and awe?

After waving his hands and arms in the right patterns and reciting the proper concentrations, Edwin watched the bonfire almost erupt with life. Damn. That’s what I call alchemy! he thought as sweat dripped down his face. Where are you now, hounds of heaven? He began making more gestures, preparing for his next spell. There are no alefs. No gods. There is only the material, and we alchemists are its masters.

After his gestures and concentrations were complete, Edwin looked around. The top of the split-rail fence was dotted with little candle flames. More he thought. He remade a few gestures and resaid his concentrations. The flames spread, it seemed, so that the whole top of the fence was covered in fire. Still not enough. That will never scare them. He continued expanding the flames. His heart was racing. The muscles across his entire body were beginning to ache. I’m giving it a lot. Too much, maybe. No! That’s a lie. Let’s see how far I can go!

Emiko couldn’t see past the flames of the fence. They towered over her, but Edwin was right: they are warm but not hot at all. They are mostly light and sound. Amazing. Butcher sat beside her as still as a stone. Butcher seems to have calmed down. Maybe Edwin’s alchemy has scared the wolves off. If that is so, I should burn more incense as thanks!

Emiko ran over to her pack where she’d left it near the bonfire. She retrieved two incense sticks. She thought about lighting them on the bonfire, but it was definitely too hot to hold the sticks that close to. She lit them off of the candle in her lamp instead. She put the incense sticks in the ground near the bonfire. This seems like the best place. No one will stomp on them here.

“Well, it seems to have worked,” said Edwin. “Is that why you’re burning more incense? Giving thanks again?”

“Yes. I sure am.”

“Good. I’m glad you have something to be thankful for.”

“What is our plan for the rest of the night?”

Well, I can think of a few things he almost said, but he caught himself, realizing that now isn’t the time to be joking. Don’t be a creep, Edwin. “I’ll stay up and tend to the fire. You get some rest. I’ll wake you in a few hours and we’ll trade places. Deal?”

“Sounds good. I’ll be right back,” said Emiko.

I wonder where she’s going thought Edwin. His stomach growled strangely. Oh, I bet I know he realized with a sour face.

Froggy came up with another barrow full of chopped wood. The pieces had been cut down to the halfling’s size. Edwin hoped that with his alchemy the lumber might burn all night. Maybe all of this was nothing. Maybe we overreacted.

Several howls broke Edwin’s train of thought, cutting through the crackling of his candle mimicry and the bonfire. No. They’re still out there.