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.

what I viewed as an inevitability. I get to the end, and I think I’ve 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

resistance. And 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, try as I might to think of something I might do to change the outcome, my

I was coughing blood. Now I just have to sit by, hat in my hand, and come back like some sort of savior when I didn’t change anything. What good am I? Nothing changes; time’s still a flat fucking circle.” Argrave tossed his cane

“That day Dras summoned us... he told you to come at your leisure. Do you think

to answer, but closed it

The battle may have been already underway while the two of you spoke that morning.” Anneliese stated, her passive tone making the words sound cold.

hands. "That does... seem like something he would do. Now I'm here, isolated. He 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

certain Mateth will fall without your help?"

before he could say, 'it always happens.' "Whatever," he finally said, lowering the cane to the ground.

#####

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 into a veritable fine red mist, and

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,

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

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 a

the man greeted loudly. “The messenger reached you,

returned, running to the man. “Where’s my

customs office,” Bracco responded promptly, pointing at a building very close

another wave of spells rocked the docks. She instinctually ducked, shielding Mina with her arm and falling back. Bracco was

hadn’t 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 their warriors walked across. It was the strangest

building, deciding to take Bracco’s word that her father was

enchantments. It’s Ebonice,” Nikoletta declared, walking closer to the docks and surveying the scene. “That’s also why attack magic isn’t working. It dispels magic on contact.” She

me a lot. I need to calmly

I can use illusion magic to project your voice. The higher-level spellcasters will naturally resist it, but they’ll notice it. It should help you command,” Mina contributed, coming to stand beside

to herself, rubbing her chin with her gauntleted hand. The sky cracked with another volley of spells. Nikoletta could see faint black lines in

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

lady Monticci, bringing such a large

begins to run dry on both sides, they will proceed to the docks mostly unimpeded as we lack a naval force. We

in acquiescence. “Understood, young lady.” He rushed off

stepped forward, her feet meeting the wooden docks.

walked to Nikoletta, giving her a thumbs up as a spell

Mateth! I, Nikoletta of Monticci, will be assuming command in place of my father. Focus only on defending! Use wind spells to disrupt their

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

most narrowly stuck to the idea of using magic solely for combat, large-scale and simultaneous usage of magic had another effect that her father emphasized. It could affect the environment. Earth magic

rushed forth 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