Jackal Among Snakes

Though Anneliese knew that Argrave had not explicitly given her permission to show her hand… she felt it was necessary, and she knew that he would agree. It was not so drastic a measure, of course. Indeed, exposing her druidic magic was quite a simple thing, and she had kept hidden only because Argrave was overcautious. Nonetheless, she was sure it’d be very effective. Though she had considered simply commanding everyone to hide in the buildings… that relied too much on chance. Instead, she’d be controlling things from beginning to end.

As Anneliese had commanded, she’d had the bodies of the jongleur and the bard displayed over the gate. The giant jongleur’s ridiculously long ape arms were staked between two of the golden statues on the front gate, and it hung with its head and part of its chest missing. The Barefaced Bard’s body was too badly charred to be displayed effectively, yet its face was still intact—they cut it free of the wood and hung it from a rope. It dangled like a necklace from the body of the jongleur.

Anneliese watched the approach of the disorganized horde with her Starsparrow, getting an accurate evaluation of the foe they faced. Argrave had not told her of all the entertainers in the Plague Jester’s list, but she found it nonetheless—it stayed aback the centaur, taking the place of the troubadour. It was a grotesque mass of muddy roots that wound together like a ball of eels, and did not look mobile.

When the enemy arrived at the gates… four of the Waxknights stood in front of it, just below the massive marble archway. They confronted a host numbering probably half a thousand, yet the knights stood fearlessly. Anneliese watched from a distant place, using the last of her remaining magic to control her Starsparrow to oversee the situation.

Between the jongleur and bard hanging from the gate and the obviously exposed knights before them… anyone capable of reasoning, especially an inexperienced strategist, would suspect a trap. And that was what she wanted.

Even an inexperienced commander would know a little of how to deal with a trap when there was no option but to proceed. They would not proceed blindly. They would probe, sending less important detachments to sus out what might lie ahead.

When she saw the tangled mass of roots on the centaur’s back call out with a strange, clicking howl, she feared what was going to happen. When the horde of enemies behind the centaur pushed back the two of them as they waited, Anneliese very nearly smiled. She directed her Starsparrow in front of the Waxknights, giving them their signal. There was no better utility at her disposal to command them from a safe distance.

The plan remained as simple as ever. Anneliese was going to stall.

The palace of the Archduke was a complicated complex, filled with pavilions, buildings serving many different purposes, and elaborate structures that stood as grandiose displays of wealth. Though there was a straightforward central path that led to the main building where the throne waited… the rest of the place was not so straightforward. There were winding paths that looped in on themselves, some of which looked near identical. Better yet, they were thin, hindering the coordination of large crowds.

The four Waxknights divided up and took different paths. With their gleaming golden armor, it was easy to keep an eye on each of the four from the sky, and Anneliese’s Starsparrow could maneuver quickly enough that it did not often matter if she lost track of one or more of them at a time—she could find them if only a few seconds.

The creatures sent out as probes, largely dumb animals or Sentinels, pursued in a disorganized if ruthless manner. Nevertheless, they were divided. Though much faster than the Waxknights, Anneliese had them deliberately move into thin, tight spaces like alleyways between buildings.

an overgrown pavilion, and Silvic would swarm up from hiding,

ahead of them, like an overseer directing mice through a maze. She used

her eye on the mass of enemies so that none managed to get near where

and predicting the response of the enemy was something she had a strange, almost unnatural confidence in, even despite the fact her foes were animals whose emotions she could not read.

spirit and the centaur took slow, steady steps up to the gate, hoofs clattering against the stone walkway leading to the

Anneliese took her Starsparrow to the sky to see the vast building that Orion and the Plague Jester fought within collapse completely. The dust was so intense she could see nothing beyond, even with the bird’s fantastic eyesight. Yet when the

it was both beautiful and horrifying. This continued for near half a minute… then, all of the plants ceased, straining as though stretched to their limits. She

though he could not believe the sight before him. He stuck his arm through his strung bow and wore it over his shoulder, then broke into an intense gallop towards the

the devastation… though seeing as how devastated his body and armor were, perhaps he merely brought the devastation with him. One hand dragged along a massive white stag’s body, holding it by its elaborate antler crown. The other held a badly dismembered corpse by the foot, the

piece until none of you remain. My body will never tire. My mind will never waver.

tremendous speed, and the centaur tried to rush aside. He was not quick enough—instead, he

and tremendous strength she

here… guide everyone to him,

spirit on the back of the centaur let out its clicking howl once again, and all of their enemies

out into the wetlands with an intense desperation. The centaur retrieved his bow, and then bounded back towards the main gate. Orion stepped forth near casually, stepping atop the corpse

things from her own eyes again, and she took a moment to gather herself before she pushed out of the

had been,

that?”

coldly. “But I

to marshal their forces yet more. A strategic retreat,

looked to the wetland spirit. “It matters not. I will defeat all challengers.” He