Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave swished water through his mouth and spit it out into the snow as he walked. Ahead of him, a neatly cobbled stone road winded across an endless field of white snow. His cane clicked against the stone as he moved. The center of the road had black crystalline objects embedded in them, faintly shining in the daylight. Argrave put his feet on one of the black crystals, and he felt heat emanating from them.

“You clean your mouth every morning and night. A human ritual?” Anneliese inquired. She and Argrave had been talking nonstop during his tenure as a god’s mortal agent in Veiden. She was an endlessly curious person, and Argrave was fascinated by a culture that was largely absent in ‘Heroes of Berendar.’ They had been exchanging questions every waking second.

Argrave smiled widely, deliberately showing all of his teeth. “No, a personal ritual. I have been blessed with veritable pearls for teeth, and I wish to keep them that way,” Argrave said with exaggerated cheer. He turned his head back to the road. “You know, I’m surprised to find paved roads in a desolate place like this. No offense, of course,” he added. “The roads are heated, even. I thought I would likely die from cold.”

“They are new. Collaborative efforts by many mages melded the earth to form these roads. After, craftsmen placed those hot crystals to keep the snow from building up.” Anneliese kneeled down and pointed, carrying on her explanation with expertise. “When the snow melts from the crystal’s heat, it seeps into the road through some purifying minerals. Aqueducts below the surface carry it to the cities' wells.”

Argrave’s brows furrowed in contemplation, but he smiled. “That’s very fascinating. You know much about most things in this place.”

Anneliese stood up, staring up at him with her amber eyes. “It is as I told you. I enjoy understanding and learning about the world.”

“Looks like I chose the right tour guide to Veiden, then.” Argrave nodded. “Come to think of it, that’s probably why you wanted to come with me on my fool’s errand.”

“It wasn’t the only reason, but yes, it was the largest factor.” Anneliese nodded. “What you’re doing is important. I want to be a part of it.”

“That’s it?” Argrave pressed. “You want to come with someone you barely know to be a part of something important?”

“I do not think I can be satisfied waiting here in Veiden, honing my magic quietly,” Anneliese shook her head. “Maybe what you said about me achieving great things got to me. Maybe I also want to leave behind a legacy. All I know is that I want to do this.”

Argrave nodded. “Well, you won’t be dying. There’ll be no legacy. You’ll be a living legend; I’ll make damn sure of that.”

Anneliese nodded, and then she carried on down the road. “What do you hope to find in Veiden’s capital, behind the Ice Wall?”

“Besides Galamon’s family?” Argrave turned on his heel and continued walking. “Lots of druidic magic. As much as I would love to waste away my days reading a new culture’s writings, I’m on a schedule. I need to get what’s useful to me. Berendar has no druidic magic—it’s exclusive to Veiden. Beyond just learning it, I could propagate it and make a fair bit of money. I don’t think such a thing would be unethical in the face of a world-ending calamity.”

“Rowe manages all of the spellbooks in Veiden. You will not be able to take them without his permission.”

“So I’ll get it,” Argrave said without much concern. “I can trade illusion magic or the process for creating enchanted items, both of which the Veidimen lack. Such things would bolster your forces and make the future battle with Gerechtigkeit easier.”

Anneliese nodded. Argrave rubbed at his stomach as they proceeded down the road. He noticed he was gritting his teeth, and not from the cold. Anneliese watched him.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

Argrave paused in the road as a cold wind blew by, sending Anneliese’s incredibly long hair waving about in the wind. Once the wind settled, Argrave said, “No, I’m not, if you care to know the truth. Guilt gnaws at my stomach. I feel like I’m going to vomit.”

“Over Mateth?” Anneliese pressed.

won—I’ve done it. All this, only to have that victory flavored with death and misery. And for WHAT?! What does this achieve?” Argrave held his hands up. “Bupkis. Nada. Makes me sick. And back there I just... threw in the towel, because it was the ‘strategic thing to do,’” Argrave did a hand-puppet impression of

I tell myself, ‘Dras already made up his mind, you can’t change that,’ or, ‘the battle is already happening, and you can’t change that.’ The simple fact is, I didn’t even try. And now,

should have gone to that council Dras held even if I was coughing blood. Now I just have to sit by, hat in

up Argrave’s cane and handed it back to him. “That day Dras summoned us... he told you to come at your leisure. Do you think that was not deliberate? By the time you two

his mouth to answer, but closed

stated, her passive

gave me free rein of the whole place..." Argrave spread his hands to the snow fields and the forests beyond them. "...because he knew I could do nothing to stop it. I have no allies here. Could send a useless letter, at most. Maybe not even

Mateth will fall without your help?"

said, lowering the cane to the ground. "Galamon was right. I'll get lost if I focus on 'what if's.' Have to keep moving forward. Have

#####

A few people on the docks jumped backwards moments before the spear pierced the docks and sent wood splinters whistling through the air and into the water. Once it settled, some people moved past it while readying magic, but one of the men that had jumped shouted, “Watch out!” moments before the spear of ice exploded into smaller fragments. The closest turned

dedicated to defending against the onslaught. The magic attacks from the Veidimen aboard their longships came in concentrated waves—a few seconds of intense power, followed by many periods of silence. Their strategy was effective, too. A few seconds of intensity was much

the docks and the longships was no man’s land. The force from each clash was enough to set the sea churning. The tides roared against the docks, and the longships tossed and turned in the tumultuous sea. Their oars worked to push them closer to the docks that the warriors aboard

taller, but Mina was much more agile. They wound through the alleyways as they made their way to the docks. When both emerged, a mage spotted them, and after leaving

greeted

the man. “Where’s my father? How

building very close to the docks. “He’s being tended to by

another wave of spells rocked the docks. She instinctually ducked,

concentrated mages near the docks at the last second, we would have fallen apart in a matter of seconds. Initially, the best of their mages started to freeze the oceans while

the customs building, deciding to take Bracco’s

attack magic isn’t working. It dispels magic on contact.” She watched the

need to calmly assess the situation. Think

higher-level spellcasters will naturally resist it, but they’ll notice it. It should help you command,” Mina contributed, coming

they’re at sea,” Nikoletta muttered to herself, rubbing her chin with her gauntleted hand. The sky cracked with another volley of spells. Nikoletta could see faint black lines in the air, and where

someone to retrieve a group of archers—twenty at least. Even if they need to be pulled from the walls, bring them here. Instruct them

lady Monticci, bringing such a large

We’re fighting a losing battle, Bracco,” she retorted back quickly. “Our mages are fighting them to a standstill, but they have warriors aboard their ships. Once the magic begins to run dry on both sides, they will proceed to the docks mostly unimpeded as

in acquiescence. “Understood, young lady.” He

the wooden docks. “Mina,” she motioned. “Get that

a thumbs up as a spell matrix hovered in the air. Nikoletta

place of my father. Focus only on defending! Use wind spells to disrupt their

casting the spell, Nikoletta heard her own voice echo out across the docks. There was a great stir of

It could affect the environment. Earth magic was the most prominent example of this—one could morph the earth to their whims, forming cover and the like. Nikoletta wished to

as the combined efforts of many mages created a fell wind. Though much of the Ebonice soaring through the air diminished the wind before it could reach the longships’ sails, it did stir the water, sending a great wave away from the shore. Several of the flying projectiles lost much of their accuracy,