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.

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

sweetly. “So, we split, yes? Into

“Three is

like you where I

hesitation. “Anneliese,

Durran said, while Anneliese

and then she dictated, “I will

distrust, at least not yet—he

felt heavy in

me to stay within sight?” Vera teased. “I merely wish to be away from that

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

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

#####

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

which walked just beside him. His true body walked a fair bit behind Argrave, obviously maintaining extreme caution. The Magister feared a trap, or general danger. He would be disappointed. The pathway

total lie, but Hegazar would

elf girl you link hands with. Well, she’s little to you, at

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

or a thought…” Hegazar wrung his hands together as they walked. “…but I will say this. You seem the ambitious sort. When you want something done, you’ll get it done. You’ve got light feet, and you’re running fast towards your goal. Even still, it’s best to

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

counter. “But that’s just the thing, you

two were…?”

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

for up ahead, veritably taking form out of darkness. He responded

Hegazar nodded 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

could usually find some position to empathize with someone, he couldn’t find it here. Despite himself, he asked, “But what did

he continued, “You don’t listen very well. Makes me

walked up until it overlapped with his illusory body, and

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. She thinks she can trot off on her own, leaving everything before behind like it never was?” Hegazar’s voice had

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

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