Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave adjusted the white fur coat over his leather gear, covering himself well. He had no mirror to look at himself in, so he briefly looked down and examined himself. He rapped his knuckles against the bronze hand mirror in his breast pocket, and then turned to the door. Anneliese stepped forward, handing him a simple brown cane.

Argrave took it and set it against the ground, grinding it against the wood to test it. “Thank you. Let’s not leave the Patriarch waiting, even if he so graciously decreed we could come at our leisure.”

Anneliese nodded, and she pushed open the door, gesturing for Argrave to proceed. He brushed his hair back with a gloved hand, and then proceeded down the hallway of the local chief’s residence. Anneliese soon joined by his side, having no issue keeping up with his slow pace.

“Come to think of it, I don’t even know what this city is called,” Argrave commented as they walked.

“Katla,” Anneliese answered. “It is the largest port for both raids and fishermen. When the winter is cruel, some warriors sail out to the sea in search of settlements to raid. Of course, now that Veiden has been united, it is the natural place for a fleet to harbor.”

The two came to the set of stairs. Argrave grit his teeth and proceeded downwards slowly, the cane clicking ever so slowly. When he reached the bottom, he felt a small sense of accomplishment. He pressed forward down the main hall and soon pushed open the main doors. Light reflecting off the white snow blinded him, and he shielded his eyes as they adjusted.

As the scene spread out before him, Argrave found his eyes darting from place to place, taking in his surroundings. Snow elves worked at pushing away snow from the windows and doors. Near the partially snow-buried walls of the city, a group of hunters worked at skinning a gargantuan white cat. One hunter held open its mouth, while another pulled free the crystalline teeth decorating its jaw.

Elsewhere, a great deal of snow elves sat on the ground, holding chunks of raw Ebonice in their hands. They used a chisel and hammer to chip away at it, refining it into axe blades. When they were finished, they would hand it to another person, who attached it to a firm dark wooden stick.

Fish and meat were hung up to dry, while butchers chopped fresh meat and doused it with sea salt to preserve it. Everyone walking about was wearing some amount of fur to keep themselves warm. The vast majority of those wandering were warriors. There was a clear tension in the air—an uncertainty, especially when they saw Argrave. Doubtless everyone had heard the rumor of the mortal agent of Erlebnis. He was the only human here.

“Argrave?” asked Anneliese, puzzled by his pause.

“Ah.” Argrave gathered himself. “Sorry. Simply enjoying a new sight, a new culture. It’s one thing to read what little anecdotes exist of Veiden in Berendar. It is another to be there, in person, experiencing it. Frankly, I had thought I would be speaking to Patriarch Dras when he came to Berendar, not the other way around. Didn’t expect to render unto him. I quite like it.”

Argrave proceeded onwards, feet sinking into the snow alongside his cane. It took a great deal of effort to walk through snow, and so he slowed his pace so as not to overexert himself.

“Much of Veiden is inarable, yeah?” Argrave asked Anneliese. “Your primary sources of food are meat and fish for those reasons.”

“Yes. Even with earth magic to till the fields, crops refuse to grow, as though the land is cursed. Legends say that druidic magic was made for that reason. In recent years, though, Patriarch Dras has found ways to circumvent the poor land. We take hardy seeds from the human continent, and we sow them atop graveyards. There is no lack of dead in Veiden.”

Argrave nodded. “When you’ve got frozen soil and ornery creatures like that kitty over there rampaging about, it isn’t difficult to see why you turned to invasion, either.” Argrave kept his gaze on the white cat. “Out of curiosity, what do your parents do?”

“My father is dead. He was a hunter, but he died in battle when Patriarch Dras united the tribes. My mother is still young and she helps craft clothes of fur where she can, but she grows sick frequently. My younger sister is taking care of her.”

I thought Rowe mentioned she was born outside of Veiden… Argrave deliberated on whether to bring that up, but he did not wish to be inconsiderate.

“I’m sorry about your father,” Argrave said after pausing in the road. “I don’t mean to pry, but do you resent Dras for that?”

nodded. “But in Veiden, one truth persists and allows us to survive, despite the environment; the tribe is more important than the individual. Patriarch

pursued on Earth. Most modern cultures pursued individualism and personal happiness. Putting a nation before a person… it was a foreign mindset. Maybe it was necessary in this world. And indeed, maybe

with Gerechtigkeit while dealing with

tell me of human society sometime,” Anneliese interrupted his thoughts. “Knights and chivalry, enchanted items, illusion magic… none

certainly can.” He paused. “Although, I have to return to Berendar soon for my next task. No rest for the wicked,

not show it, answering quickly, “I assumed as much.”

him to a large house where a great many Veidimen warriors stood out front. When the snow elves saw him, they tensed. The effect he had as the purported ‘mortal

pushing open the

Dras sat at a desk, holding a

the agent of the omniscient,” Dras greeted, setting his quill aside and leaning back in his

involved. Such

given me the worst headache I’ve had in years. Maybe the worst headache ever. I was the primary proponent of this invasion, rousing the warrior’s blood in what remained of the conquered tribes. Now, to reverse sides?” Dras tapped his

determined?” Argrave paused, lowering his head.

of my warriors and mages do

one thing I am, it’s honest,” Argrave lied, glad that Anneliese

hole in what you had said. When he found that everything supported you, he threatened to have Crystal Wind eat anyone who dissented.

“So this means…?”

Dras said, rubbing his eyes. “The invasion will

took a deep breath and exhaled. He felt like he’d just won a tournament, or maybe a lottery. His body shook a little, but he quickly got

Argrave said aloud. “The fruits

with the Any% world record. Mateth stays standing. Duke Enrico lives. Nikoletta

tapped his desk. “As far as I’m concerned, the invasion is merely delayed in the wake of the Tenebrous Reaper, Gerechtigkeit. We

for. Even being neutral is a great boon,” Argrave commended, pleased

seems to be the case, it will be convenient to have the armies land at

“What? You’re still

the hand of Veid. Let Her dictate what should happen; if Mateth should stay in human hands or fall to the

stood, mouth agape for a second. “But that’s just a

relent to. It serves as a demonstration that

with brows furrowed, running the scenario in his head.

I could use their might for future conflicts. The populace within Mateth was never badly affected by the invasion past the initial assault—many of the services and merchants would remain open to me. At worst, I lose the money from selling

that German Shepherd, Elias? Even if it only has been a brief time, I want

the gears in his head as fast as they would go, trying to come up with some way to change this outcome. He could not warn them—he had no way of doing so. He could not explain the situation, and even if he could, he could not ask Duke Enrico to abandon his city. When he asked himself how to

pulled free the bronze hand mirror.