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.

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

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

“Three

I’d like you where I

without hesitation. “Anneliese, Durran… you remember

to forget,” Durran said,

and then she dictated, “I will go with

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

felt

wish to be

to Anneliese. She didn’t seem uneased by the idea, but

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

#####

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 to

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 of stone

but Hegazar would probably believe it easily enough.

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 rest of us. I think you could learn from my mistakes. One of few,

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

it’s not wanted, be it an opinion 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

form, studying the bald head and face. “What does

She’s competent. I can tell that with my eyes alone… quite the beauty, too, though too tall for my tastes. That’s no issue for you, though, 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

were…?” Argrave expressed

my wing… tutored her, mentored her, raised her up alongside me until

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

trying to make. We can rely on ourselves and ourselves alone. Things were straight out

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

Hegazar halted. His husky voice was low and sharp as he continued, “You don’t listen very well. Makes me think what you have to offer might not be worth

up until it overlapped with

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

if he 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

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 it. Argrave could have let everyone suffer, work things out on their own… all the while he prepared only what was needed to end this world-ending calamity. No danger, no suffering,

validated in his choices thus far, seeing the miserable man that Hegazar was. With spirit renewed, he