Jackal Among Snakes

The halls of the Tower of the Gray Owl were filled to the brim with people. They were talking amongst themselves feverishly, most with some degree of relief and nervousness on their faces. Nikoletta of Monticci stood with arms crossed on an empty wall of the tower. Mina of Veden sat at her feet, leaning against the wall in exhaustion.

Nikoletta had spent the month revising the research Argrave had returned to her. Though she wished to find out if Argrave had genuinely been telling the truth—that the crown prince, Induen, had ordered her research stolen—she had no opportunity. Talking with Argrave might illuminate the situation, but she had assumed that might have been exactly what he wanted. She disliked playing into other’s hands.

But the month had passed with utter silence from Argrave’s end. Her friend, Mina, had been caught snooping around his room, but nothing came of it. It was all baffling. At this point, she was just curious what Argrave would submit to the Order to advance from an Acolyte to a full-fledged Wizard.

The door that Nikoletta had been keeping her eyes on swung open slowly. Argrave, wearing the same gray robes as every other Acolyte, ducked beneath the doorframe into the hall. He had been quite pale the last time she saw him, but he was deathly pale now—he looked more like a walking corpse than a man walking. His eyes were sunken with deep black marks beneath them. Despite that, he still bore himself with the same neat dignity he had a month ago.

“Gods. He looks terrible,” Nikoletta said out of surprise.

Mina was roused from her exhausted state and followed Nikoletta’s gaze. “Probably waited till tonight to finish his stuff like I did.” Mina stood, grabbing Nikoletta’s robes to help herself to her feet. “Why don’t I get your sympathy?”

“You also look terrible,” Nikoletta said dismissively. “Happy?”

Mina scoffed. “I wonder if he’ll pass.”

“Worry about yourself.” Nikoletta looked down at the shorter girl.

Mina fixed her messy blonde hair. “I’m always lucky. I’m not worried.”

Nikoletta frowned. “It’s a written submission. You cannot get lucky.”

At the far end of the hall, Argrave walked to the desk where an old man was receiving parcels. Argrave handed the man a fairly thick stack of papers, neatly wrapped in a black ribbon. After a brief exchange of words, Argrave turned away, pulling at the collar of his gray robes. His eyes scanned the room, stopping on Nikoletta. She tensed up at his gaze. His hollow gray eyes only furthered his corpse-like appearance.

Now comes the time for the favor, she said in her head. Argrave walked towards her with long, even strides. Mina grew alert, stepping in front of Nikoletta.

Argrave looked down on the two of them. Even skinny as he was, his height was still somewhat intimidating. Nikoletta kept her dark pink eyes fixed to his gray gaze.

“Your father is sending a carriage to take you back to Mateth,” Argrave said, sparing even greetings.

It was spoken as a fact, but Nikoletta decided it was a question. “Yes, that’s right. Why?”

“I need to go there. May I ride with you?”

“Not going to stay to find out the results early?” Mina asked, stepping between Nikoletta and Argrave.

“It will take a week regardless.” Argrave shook his head. “There is a branch of the Order of the Gray Owl in Mateth. And above all, I am not worried overmuch about the result.”

Nikoletta scrunched up her eyebrows. “Why ride with me?”

carriage will be comfortable, well-protected,

be forced to listen

with his gloved hands. “Is my voice so unpleasant to hear, Mina? How harsh.” He lowered his hand and continued seriously. “At worst, you will hear

“I suspect you won’t be sleeping

a salesman with a shady pitch.” Argrave shook his head. “I just want a free ride to the city, not

quiet as Nikoletta thought the request over. Certainly, there was ample room

ulterior motive. I just wish for transportation.” Argrave held

friends? Money?” Mina

She kneaded her forehead. “If

to Mateth. Woe is me, et cetera. It is a long journey, to be true, but I know a good

to go to Mateth? As a royal bastard, I would assume you have housing in the

to be right now. I have a great deal of things to do in and around

would be

pack my things. Can’t forget

turned and walked away, heading back towards

“I’m suddenly having second thoughts

rumors are often exaggerated. I

pointed to her face, but there was no obvious mark—it had been nearly a

that insistent, I can tell him he

and stepped away for a moment, thinking. “If you’re really fine with

#####

of the gray robes of the academy and back into ‘normal’ clothes. Argrave only owned black and gold clothing. The two colors were the traditional colors of

must be his first stop. A naval invasion would be occurring there. It was hopeless to prevent, but Argrave was certain that he could stop it before it spiraled out of control. He could perhaps stop it even faster than the player could in-game. Moreover, it was one of the few places in the continent of Berendar that would not

his knee, one thumb stuck in the page to keep it open as he gazed out through the carriage window. A fantasy game world was designed to

saw a lithe, ferret-like creature in the woods beyond the plains. It had big, yellow eyes. Indeed, much of the time, Argrave could only see its eyes, as its

like

were still quite close together. A

stiffened his face, the smile he did not know he had fading quickly. He pursed his lips, somewhat annoyed to be

back and opened her mouth to speak, but

the dark of night, like a cat. You are slow to trust, and

Mina asked incredulously. She tapped Nikoletta’s shoulder. “Nicky, tell

At that,

spot the small wind ferret once more, but the Widlum was gone. Argrave pursed his lips briefly, then turned his head back to the book. It was a book on the

that, he needed personal strength and influence in society. Personal strength was one matter. Influence in society—well, money talks.

vastly different from reality. In reality, one could not kill people and monsters and suddenly become an Archmage by dumping their experience into magic skills. These things took

suppose I haven’t exactly tried going on a killing spree. Maybe it