Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave once again felt the familiar sensation of being trapped within something that was in motion. It had been a long while since he last had the experience—the movement of the living fortress was so smooth it could be likened to travelling on a train or a car.

Hegazar, Anneliese, Argrave, and Durran held their hands to the fleshy apparatus in the back of the room, siphoning their magic into the vast fortress. It had been given a series of commands sequentially and burrowed through the earth efficiently. Argrave had done this quest enough to remember the commands, fortunately—Elenore was the one to give the quest to the player, funnily enough. It felt like much of the tension had been dissolved, yet the budding nervousness of his eventual meeting with Princess Elenore was replacing it by the second.

The rumbling sensation of movement beneath their feet ended, and Argrave felt the pull of his magic end. Hegazar was the first to retract his hand.

“Looks like we made it,” Argrave said, shaking his hand off. He didn’t like the sensation of touching that thing at all. “It seems this was a worthwhile endeavor for all.”

“I wonder what Vera must be thinking,” the Magister mused, reaching down. He pulled free the ear key, holding it close to his person. “Well, it’s no matter. Time is of the essence. Collect all that I promised you, and let’s be off.”

“What will you do to her?” Anneliese questioned.

Hegazar put the ear key into the slot closer to the door and stopped, turning his head back to Anneliese.

“What business is it of yours?” He questioned, tone passive.

Anneliese shrugged and walked forwards. “I am merely curious.”

“She has many friends. I am not sure what I will do,” Hegazar shook his head. “It requires deliberation.”

“I thought you’d kill her immediately,” Durran looked impressed.

“Told you I wouldn’t already,” Hegazar shook his head. “Violence is for savages. I can get more from her alive than dead. I just need to decide what state I’d like her alive in. A captive? Who knows…” he let out a long, almost sad sigh. “She had opportunities to kill me in the past, too. She didn’t take them. Always wondered why…”

As Argrave pondered what the Magister was getting at, he spoke the key phrase for the door and it slid open. He walked out with a confident step.

#####

Their group had hauled out a great many things from the depths of the vaults, and all of it resided in the heart chamber. It was a great mound of enchanted items of varying value. Though Argrave would have been satisfied with the set of bronze jewelry he came here to get, he definitely would not protest to acquiring more valuable enchanting items. He’d have a very adept broker to sell them off to in short order, too. That, plus the other loot they’d acquired from the Archduke’s palace or Induen’s retinue.

Galamon offloaded what few books and such he held to Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran, and then stuffed everything within rather ungracefully. The more delicate stuff was wrapped, but altogether his backpack became a misshapen mass of valuables and Order of the Rose books. He had a king’s ransom in his backpack. Altogether, an extremely profitable venture. It wasn’t a flawless trip, but it was the best Argrave could scrape together sandwiched between two S-rank mages.

after that. Hegazar left with them. Once they reached the entrance, the stone tongue folded out for them, and

by the still-active waterways, while the area above was brown stone that was nothing more than a ceiling to prevent the smell of the wastewater from reaching the city streets. The newer city had been built atop this place, with

and Argrave found himself ducking just to stand. “You’re sure…

far. It drains off into a lake. It’s a relatively secluded place—just a few fishing towns. Forest should shield you from prying eyes. Well, not that prying

of you do, however long this thing lasts,” Hegazar scanned Anneliese and Argrave. “Enjoy the honeymoon phase. That’s all

Hegazar,” Argrave said simply, disregarding the

walked down into the lower portions of the sewer tunnel, moving quickly and steadily without

gods,” Durran sighed, setting his glaive firmly on the ground and leaning on it. “This was an

head. “But I’ll be

looking ahead into the tunnel. She

advanced. “Not for long. Meeting Elenore is our top priority. Once we get things settled with her… we’ll have true

picked up his glaive, tapping it against the ground so that it echoed throughout the tunnel. “How scary is this sister of yours that all

worried about this than meeting Orion or Induen.” Argrave surveyed his

gaze lingered on Anneliese for a long moment. She got the message, and as the

#####

staring at the rushing stream at their feet. The both of them sat

will not fret that things

less… apocryphal. I still feel rushed, stressed, but I think… I think I

glad,”

“Looks like my advice helped you out,” he finally said. “Certainly had

leaned against Argrave’s shoulder. “Yes, it

jokingly. “Soon enough, you’ll do everything I can, and then I’ll

not think I could,” she shook

that were

degree than I dramatized. But yes. They did,” she confessed in

hand to her head. “I can see why he’s bitter. Hurt. Paranoid. I don’t want to make those same

me a lot of comfort. Above all… I know you well, and I trust you enough to respect the actions you take that we disagree on. We cannot be compared to Hegazar and Vera. From the beginning, both saw each other as tools. Hegazar sought to groom

a long while, biting at his lip. “I guess they were perfect

let out a quiet

Elenore,” he