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.

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

soothed sweetly. “So,

“Three is all that’s

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

agreed without hesitation. “Anneliese,

Durran said, while Anneliese

between all of them, and then she dictated, “I will

blatant distrust, at least not yet—he didn’t have them attracted enough to

words felt

Vera teased. “I merely wish to be away from

didn’t seem uneased by the idea, but Argrave surely was. “If that’s what you

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

#####

walked. It was only the two of them. Galamon remained at the point where the paths branched, ready

Argrave, obviously maintaining extreme caution. The Magister feared a trap, or general danger. He would be disappointed. The pathway of stone and flesh extended ahead of them for a long while, shrouded in darkness broken

would probably believe it easily enough. “With how you

Let us not speak of her—instead, let us speak of you… and that little elf girl you link hands with. Well, she’s little to you, at least—quite the giant to the

The change was reflected in his tone, too, as he asked more

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

to Hegazar’s illusory form, studying the bald

and I have nothing but compliments.” Hegazar raised a 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 goal just like you do… and you might like that. I don’t care how statuesque some woman’s figure

two were…?” Argrave

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 beautiful

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

very slowly. “There 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

to empathize with someone, he couldn’t find it here. Despite himself, he asked, “But

and sharp as he continued, “You don’t listen very

up until it overlapped with

rules of the Order countless times, because of her. She killed many people, you

had not left the Tower when he first arrived in Berendar. Bitter, self-serving, cynical… he’d only do something if he expected a return. He’d be an egomaniac, spouting out empty, wry

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

was like a sobering drug to Argrave. He felt validated in his choices thus far, seeing the miserable man that Hegazar was. With spirit renewed, he felt words come to him