Jackal Among Snakes

After Galamon’s direction to move, it did not take further encouragement for Argrave to turn and rush down the hallway. The lack of light made him mind his steps, and he ensured Anneliese was moving ahead before coming to a jog himself. Argrave’s arm felt hot, both from the surging pain and the warm blood dripping down it. Behind, the slow rattling of the waking Lily Lurkers escalated into a terrifying sound that consumed the entire ruin—it sounded like metal fragments banging around in a box. The adrenaline narrowed Argrave’s focus down only to his escape.

Argrave remembered to grab the big bottle of black liquid mana, and fortunately did so without issue. Anneliese slowed with a spell matrix whirling about in her hand. A larger light spell shot out ahead, better illuminating the path. Argrave greatly appreciated it, but he did not have time to give thanks. Far ahead, Galamon kicked aside one of the returning Lily Lurkers into an open room.

As the three of them finally made it to the stairs, Argrave was already out of breath and struggling to keep his grip on the large bottle of pure magic. He spared a brief glance back to a great horde of the creatures surging along the hallway feverishly. Their movements were much more sluggish than Argrave had seen on the surface, but they were still chasing—though perhaps that was not the right word. Rather than a pursuit, their actions seemed to be frenzied.

Without pausing to rest, Argrave turned his head back to the path ahead and took the stairs two at a time. He made it to the end of the first set, and though greatly exhausted, he turned sharply and took the next. Once at the top of those, his breaths were shallow and rapid, and his thighs screamed at him. His foot brushed against the corpse of a white insect, and he stumbled.

Argrave kept his footing but the bottle threatened to fall from his grip, and he raised his other hand to correct it. The blood made it slip from his grasp, and Argrave desperately fell with it to shield it from breaking. He collapsed, huffing, and his makeshift mask slid off. The bottle remained intact, though, and he tried to scramble up.

“Idiot,” Galamon cursed at him, stepping back and seizing the bottle from him. After sheathing his dagger, he grabbed Argrave’s shoulder and hoisted him to his feet. The two set off once more with Argrave being all but carried by the elven vampire. His grip was no weaker than a vice.

Anneliese cast yet another spell and a ball of light shot out across the hall, moving slowly and illuminating this floor just as it had the previous. They moved beneath it, its glow following them light a spotlight.

“Just had to be the hero,” Galamon said. He slowed his steps, eventually halting. “There are many ahead, at least fifty bunched up. We’ll take a different path.”

“No,” Argrave stopped him, catching his breath. “I’ll deal with them.” Argrave tried to free himself but found Galamon’s grip unbreakable.

“You?” Galamon asked disbelievingly.

“Just as I did the druids. Watch the rear for a moment.” Argrave finally managed to break free and stepped forward, following the light as it advanced. The din of the Lily Lurkers behind them made those ahead barely audible, but Argrave barely began to hear it before he saw many moving forth, frenzied just as those behind them.

“What are you—wait…!” Anneliese called out, but she was too far from Argrave to stop him from proceeding.

Argrave triggered the Blessing of Supersession, and at once, the small lake of magic within him was replaced by a boundless sea. That feeling of overwhelming power from within completely hid his fatigue from his own psyche.

In seconds, the hallway ahead became a show of light. Argrave first used [Wargfire] many times in quick succession. The fiery maws set upon his foe like a pack of wolves, their imitative mouths clamping shut and dicing the creatures in half and setting those near aflame. For a brief moment, Argrave felt he was astride a thousand hellhounds, tearing his foes asunder. The noise of the flame overtook that of the rattling for a brief moment.

flurry of D-rank wind spells, cutting and dicing and casting the flames every which direction. The black smoke from their burning bodies dissipated in the winds, cast about harmlessly everywhere. When Argrave finally paused, watching, the hallway before them had become a mess of burnt and twitching parts, blackened stone, and fading

frenzied bugs behind them had not yet come near

words brought her from her stupor. Galamon rushed up, ushering the both of them forward, and Argrave did not protest as he turned and followed behind. Though he’d regained his breath somewhat, the hasty

stairs before the cavern’s exit, Galamon simply turned to Argrave and

weakly

and wrapped his arm around his

mouth slammed shut. His teeth clacked together loudly and some pain ignited on the tip

top, Argrave was deposited with as little warning as the initial pickup. He stumbled ungracefully. With little time for admonishment, Argrave could only cast an indignant glance at Galamon before heading down the

was

moved lightning fast, though Argrave clearly saw it stick her arm. She staggered away, holding her arm and letting out a hiss of pain. Galamon kicked the wall, stomping the creature flat with his plate boots. After,

knew

two—get going for the surface. Don’t argue,” Argrave said loudly, not looking

their numbers had been greatly thinned by their disorderly and frenzied pursuit. Argrave did not hesitate for a second before sending out yet more [Wargfires]. The lupine jaws of flame battered at the stairs, the walls, and the ceilings, turning the brown stone a harsh black. The creatures popped and writhed as they burned, the sound of their rattling tails slowly fading in way of the all-consuming

soon replaced by smoke, and Argrave stopped to cough. Delivering only a few more spells for good measure, he turned and ran. Anneliese and Galamon were nowhere to be seen, but Argrave saw a distant light. He

distant. He dared a glance behind and saw no pursuers. As he took a deep breath and breathed a sigh of relief, he felt the ground

they had initially entered and came to it. There, Galamon waited, Anneliese slumped over on his shoulder. After seeing Argrave, he moved for the hole in the wall, exiting

caught up to the two of them.

again,” Galamon silenced. “Take your bottle, follow behind in

entered. Anneliese was sweating badly and breathing heavily. Her movements were stiff, and only grew

cavern. Argrave could not help but feel a strong sense of guilt and uselessness watching Galamon forge ahead, both dealing with the errant Lily Lurkers and supporting Anneliese. He tried

at the dusk sunlight when they first re-emerged into the familiar field of lilies. He looked around

to go back to the village. We definitely have what I need to make an antidote. It should work quickly,” Argrave

nearly being dragged along. He pointed to her other

to get underneath her shoulder just as Galamon was, adjusting his satchel and the bottle he held. Eventually, they both hoisted her

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