Jackal Among Snakes

Galamon had taught Argrave a lot about combat, commanding, and strategy. The man was a great general, and Argrave was eager to learn whatever he could from him. Barring his own personal interest on the matter, as things proceeded, he would be talking to and commanding a lot more than a group of four and their pets. He needed to learn these things.

He told Argrave of a simple principle—when fighting multiple foes, focus on ending one foe quickly so as to upset the balance in one’s favor. That strategy held up with his knowledge of video games in general. When fighting multiple bosses, or even just regular enemies, it’s best to focus on one and knock it out quickly. After deliberating on the matter, Argrave recalled a phrase that was used to describe that, even if indirectly.

Divide and conquer.

It wasn’t a one-to-one match in terms of definition, but the point stood—enemies united are much more difficult to deal with.

“Galamon!” Argrave shouted as the golems approached them. He triggered the Blessing of Supersession for caution’s sake, though he was not sure he would need it. He could not bombard these foes with electric eels.

The golem on the left side bore lightning on its spear. Its actions were smooth, fluid, and it proceeded towards them in an almost human run. In stark contrast, the golem on the right side without lightning was more withdrawn, and it did not move half as fast as its companion. Soon enough, it trailed behind its lightning-clad ally.

Galamon received Argrave’s command and rushed forward to meet the lightning-wreathed golem. Though the elven vampire was huge, the golem was titanic—Argrave estimated it was near twelve feet tall, and with the black storm clouds billowing from its body, it appeared larger. Nevertheless, Galamon approached it without fear.

Argrave cast a subset spell of [Pack Leader], commanding his Brumesingers to attack what he willed. Simultaneously, he shouted, “Durran!”

“I know!” the tribal returned as he moved along the edge of the circular tower, heading towards the rightward golem.

Galamon met with the lightning-wreathed golem, his greatsword at the ready. He kept a safe distance away, not moving to attack at all. The golem raised its spear in one hand, then thrust. The attack was inhumanly fast, yet Galamon returned with an equally ridiculously fast sidestep. The spear impaled the ground, sending a single surge through the jade spiral. None were on the jade, though. It dragged its spear through the stone, sending rubble and sparks flying everywhere, and did a great underhand swing at Galamon, who again dodged narrowly.

On the opposite side, Durran engaged with the other golem. Though slower, it was still ridiculously potent. Because of its slowness, though, Durran led it away, battering its spearhead with relentless casts of the D-rank spell [Wind Blade]. It rarely had an opportunity to swing. Argrave and Anneliese followed this fight. Argrave’s four Brumesingers relentlessly battered its spearhead with conjured warriors, the foxes howling their song while writhed in the brume. Anneliese contributed where she could, but without getting dangerously close it was difficult to be accurate.

Argrave’s gaze constantly wandered to the golem battling Galamon. It was a ridiculous show of prowess from both sides—the golem had a machine ruthlessness, destroying parts of the tower parapet with ferocious swings as Galamon dodged with finesse entirely unbefitting the plate armor he wore. The armor served its purpose, though, shielding him from stones whistling through the air after each staggeringly powerful attack.

of worry. He was waiting for

golem put two hands on its spear, he shouted as loud as he

golem. He slid beneath its legs and then took off in a desperate sprint towards the opposite side. The golem fighting Galamon raised its spear up and slammed the ground. Just as they had before, pillars of electricity roared up into the sky from the spiral of jade on the floor

golem that had been combatting Durran now bore lightning, and Galamon disengaged to go meet it. He and Durran passed by each other, and Durran took the attention

too well, or if Galamon had disengaged too slowly. Regardless, the twelve-foot-tall monstrosity of angry metal turned towards Argrave and

to my left. He’s the only one

decision, Argrave ceased retreating. He stepped forward and pushed Anneliese further back in one motion. He tried to head towards Galamon, kiting the golem, but the

feel heat move near his face as the spearhead passed by. In seconds, the towering thing grew closer. It pulled its hand back, preparing a thrust. Argrave used his enchanted

the speed of a snake’s bite, and the attack met the golden ward. The shield didn’t last more than a second before shattering. Fortunately, Argrave didn’t need more than a second. He dodged, and the attack sunk deep into the stone just beside his foot. He saw Galamon very close, and felt some triumph extinguish his

to move, but it felt like he was kicking air. His eyes darted to the ground to see the stone bricks beneath

see the half-jade, half-stone stairs below as the floor beneath him fell away. Argrave sought out something, anything, to find purchase, but the entire floor was collapsing. Galamon was close, but too far

up at its eyes billowing smoke, sparking with electricity. He

the sky. He couldn’t breathe at all. He grabbed at his chest. It felt like someone had dropped a 300-pound barbell right on his

windedness faded. He tried to stand but failed. He was spasming slightly—likely the electricity from the golem’s blow. When his vision fully returned, he saw the lightning-wreathed golem striding towards him, spear held

axe struck the approaching golem in the head. While barely reacting to the blow itself, it did turn from Argrave. Galamon had thrown his axe and stood holding his greatsword in one hand. Argrave watched the

there, moved to rejoin the fight. She said

they had already damaged the spearhead heavily. Durran held off the other admirably, luring it far away on his own. With the speed of the lightning-clad golem attacks it was difficult to land blows, yet

and Argrave at once shouted, “SWITCH!” again. The shout

the air slightly with a spell of wind. She held her hand out and used the C-rank [Ice Spear]. The spear of ice met the descending slam in transit. A crack echoed through the air, and

the storm cloud within it dispersed, surging towards the other golem. Argrave spotted the severed spearhead, and feeling some triumph, faced the

other golem, and he sought refuge behind it. The lightning-wreathed spear slammed into the other golem’s chest, knocking it a solid ten feet away. Durran narrowly avoided being swept up, putting yet more distance between

different, somehow, as though Galamon had figured something out. His

masterful dance. Galamon continued to avoid the golem’s flurry, not an inch away from the spearhead with every attack. Whenever the golem paused, Anneliese, Argrave, and Durran all attacked it. The golem