Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave came here in part to retrieve a treasure—or rather, a set of treasures—but it was not something he’d consider his primary purpose. He wanted two things from these Magisters—a safe escort away from the Tower, and then after… well, this living fortress’ head wasn’t the only thing that could move. But then, maybe he wouldn’t need the Magisters for that at all.

Argrave’s primary concern was getting through this fortress as quickly as he could while securing his party’s position for the second part of his journey. His haste was both for the temperamental Magisters he travelled with, and the disgusting atmosphere he found himself in.

Both of the Magisters wore illusions—Vera’s was acting, a metaphorical façade, while Hegazar’s was his spells. They agreed in advance Anneliese should stay near Vera, while Argrave focused on Hegazar. Only a rough guideline, naturally, but it was sufficient enough. At least, it needed to be, if the plan they’d brewed back at the Tower would work.

Most of what they travelled was a straight corridor of stone, yet parts of it had chipped away, revealing the pink, smooth flesh beyond that resembled the pink, soft flesh you’d see inside a body. He felt like an endoscope. In addition, what was still stone was oddly shaped—the pathway they walked, for instance, was vaguely reminiscent of a spine.

“This place…” Magister Hegazar looked around. “Magic’s dense. It’s so dense it’s like a gas in the air, pushing against my skin as I walk. There’s danger in a place like this. It’s like toying with the trigger for a beartrap. Quite a nasty fortress you’ve come to—we’ve come to,” he corrected.

“If you’re afraid, you might leave,” Magister Vera suggested.

“No, I wouldn’t consider such a thing,” Hegazar said smoothly. “I am merely reminded of you, grotesque little spider that you are. Reminds of how disgusting your home in Jast was.”

“At least I have a home and a family,” Vera rebuked as they walked.

Maybe Argrave was delusional, but he could’ve sworn that even Hegazar was not entirely unoffended by that comment. If he was, he didn’t miss a beat in replying, “Soon enough you’ll keep getting older, and they’ll all die one by one.”

“Near the end,” Argrave cut in. “Path branches here.”

“Branches?” Hegazar noted incredulously, still walking. “No matter. We have plenty of time.”

“We’ll need to split,” Argrave disagreed. “This place wasn’t meant to be entered alone. To open the way, multiple unique magic signatures are required.”

Vera stopped. “How would you know this?”

“It was true in the last one of these living fortresses I visited,” Argrave anticipated the question.

Hegazar stopped too, and his illusory form grinned broadly. “You’d gamble so much on past experiences, eh? Jerk two Magisters about on a chain?”

Argrave deliberated his response carefully, staring at Hegazar’s form in silence. Let them think I’m gambling, he concluded. Might lower their confidence in me, but it’s better than giving away too much.

“I didn’t have much choice but to gamble,” Argrave said quietly.

saw an opening. “A correction, Kinslayer. Not ‘didn’t.’ You still don’t. Best hope the dice you’ve cast don’t end up

Argrave,” Vera soothed sweetly. “So, we split, yes?

ahead. “Three is all

you, Kinslayer. I’d like you where I can see you.”

agreed without hesitation. “Anneliese, Durran… you

to forget,” Durran

them, and

display blatant distrust, at least

though the words felt heavy in his throat. “But

“I merely wish to be away from that one,” she explained, looking at

seem uneased by the idea, but

Hegazar noted. “Come. Let’s enjoy a few moments of

#####

Hegazar spoke to Argrave as they walked. It was only the two of them. Galamon remained at the point where the paths branched, ready to help any should

obviously maintaining extreme caution. The Magister feared a

but Hegazar would

Well, she’s little to you, at least—quite the giant to the rest of us. I think you could learn from my mistakes. One of few, though the biggest blunder

was reflected in his tone, too, as he asked more monotonously than he intended,

as they walked. “…but I will say this. You

looked to Hegazar’s illusory form, studying the

finger to emphasize his counter. “But that’s just the thing, you see. No one gets anywhere without being like us. Driven. Practical. She has a

were…?” Argrave expressed

yes. You’ve seen her. Quite beautiful, even though I wish she weren’t,” Hegazar mused, stroking his chin. “When she was but a humble Wizard, and I a High Wizard, I took her under my wing… tutored her, mentored her, raised her up alongside me until we stood shoulder-to-shoulder. A regular power-couple—envy of all in the Tower. Handsome me and

veritably taking form out of darkness. He responded to Hegazar, asking,

were straight out of a dream… until she decided that walking side-by-side was not good enough. She had taken so much of what I had… and

could usually find some position to empathize with someone, he couldn’t find it

was low and sharp as he continued, “You don’t

stopped and looked back. Hegazar’s true form walked up until it overlapped with his illusory body,

my time to her. My thought, my effort, diverted from my ambitions to help her. I severed ties with my family because of her insistence. I broke the rules of the Order countless times, because of her. She killed many people, you know… and I helped her hide that fact.

the dimmest shadow of himself. He was repulsed by the revelation until he examined it further. Hegazar was who Argrave would be if he had not left the Tower when he first arrived in Berendar. Bitter, self-serving, cynical… he’d only do

up earlier, Argrave was near certain he could stop Gerechtigkeit if he had remained in the Tower. Ruthless practicality was a hallmark in optimal gameplay for open-world RPGs—if an NPC had something you wanted, you’d kill them to get

drug to Argrave. He felt validated in his choices thus far, seeing the miserable man that Hegazar was. With spirit