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.

wry grin, his eyes sharpened like they saw an opening. “A correction, Kinslayer. Not ‘didn’t.’ You still

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

ahead. “Three is

travel with you, Kinslayer. I’d like you where I can

hesitation. “Anneliese,

forget,” Durran said,

predatory orange eyes jumped between all of them, and

at least not yet—he didn’t

felt heavy in his throat.

sight?” Vera teased. “I merely wish to be away from that one,” she

idea, but Argrave surely was. “If that’s what you want…

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

#####

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 the need arise. It was only a small comfort. “Finally, a moment alone… a moment

The Magister feared a trap,

would probably believe it easily enough. “With how you talk

you, at least—quite the giant to the rest of us. I think you could learn from my mistakes.

help but stiffen. The change was reflected in his tone, too, as he asked more monotonously than he intended, “What mistake

wrung his hands together as they walked. “…but I will say this. You seem the ambitious sort. When you want

to Hegazar’s illusory form, studying the bald head and face. “What

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

two were…?” Argrave expressed

a humble Wizard, and I a High Wizard, I took her under my wing… tutored her, mentored her, raised her

apparatus he’d been looking for up ahead, veritably taking form out of darkness. He responded to Hegazar, asking,

always is an ‘until.’ That’s the point I’m trying to make. We can rely on ourselves and ourselves alone. Things were straight out of a dream… until she decided that walking side-by-side was not good enough. She had taken so much of

position to empathize with someone,

halted. His husky voice was low and sharp as he continued, “You don’t listen very well. Makes

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

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

Argrave stared at Hegazar… he saw 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,

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 it. Argrave could have let everyone suffer, work things out on their own… all

in his choices thus far, seeing the miserable man that Hegazar was. With spirit renewed, he felt words come to him