Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave and Galamon emerged from the thinning beige smoke. Judging by the reactions they received by Elenore’s gathered men, they struck quite a harrowing pair. He saw Elenore beside his companions—the princess crossed her arms in uncertainty, for she could not perceive things a long distance away. Argrave walked confidently forward.

“Mages! Gather,” Argrave commanded. “The pump of poison in the air has stopped. The vampires are preparing for our assault—we dispel the smoke, then press through to put a stake in the chest of these foul bloodsuckers before they can prepare!”

Elenore had already given Argrave significant authority, and his words themselves had a commanding atmosphere. Her people rushed to obey, the mages taking the head of the pack to dispel the smoke. Argrave stepped up to Elenore.

“Things went well,” Argrave told her, watching the mages as they worked. “I’ll take the helm for the second assault. They’ve grouped up—perfect for me.”

Elenore studied him, evidently unsettled. “You… encountered trouble?”

“Not enough,” Argrave commented. “Anneliese, Durran. You’re ready, I trust?”

Durran hefted his glaive. “Naturally.”

Anneliese did not answer, but instead came to his side to tend to the wounds he’d left untreated wordlessly. Argrave smiled at her.

“Perhaps you should hang back, let me handle things from here,” Elenore suggested.

“You’ve done enough. Barely let me participate last battle. Besides, they have spellcasters in their number. I still have something to show you,” Argrave grinned broadly.

Anneliese gave him a sideward glance for his words but did not protest.

“The smoke clears!” one of Elenore’s men shouted.

Spurred to action, Argrave turned on his heels. “Won’t be long, now. I’m looking forward to getting to brass tacks when we come back,” Argrave left her, then ran speedily to take the vanguard as he’d promised.

“Galamon—give Durran the axe. Durran—here,” Argrave removed his glove and his ring, then gave the thing to him. “You cast wards to defend. I imagine they’ll try something they already have—holding a chokepoint, like a corridor. I’ll break past, but I need you to defend me.”

“…right,” Durran acknowledged, then turned to Elenore. “Hey. Keep this safe, will you? I appreciate it,” he thanked before her answer, then tossed his glaive towards her.

“That’s—!" she shouted, alarmed, yet caught the glaive all the same. “That was dangerous!” she admonished him.

“Hey, come on. Look after it well and you’ll go from me being okay with you to me liking you. Big step up!” Durran laughed.

“I hope you…!” Elenore began to curse him but deflated in half a second. “Treat this task seriously, lest you perish.”

Durran waved her goodbye, and then with his new equipment, advanced alongside them.

he stepped past Elenore’s band, his companions at his heel. “Your role is simple—cleaning duty. Now, I know you

who’d already proven himself in battle was a great boost for morale. They’d seen him emerge from a

fighters of renewed confidence at his heel, Argrave once again dove into the catacombs. The smoke had thinned tremendously already, and the mages still worked to dispel it. Despite that, all the warriors bore cloth wraps over their

kind. They lead us to where they’re gathered,” Argrave said

were gathered ahead. Argrave triggered his Blessing of Supersession and began creating [Electric Eels]. Galamon held his Giantkillers at the ready, prepared to protect from errant lightning cast by distant spellcasters. At

wide corridor lined with stone sarcophagi. Lightning attack spells bridged the gap almost at once, yet Galamon caught them with the blue lightning rod daggers in his hand. Long passages were the best place to restrict large group of

spells changed form, soon enough—spells of other elements came, coupled with blood magic. Anneliese and

here,” Argrave commanded the men behind him. “Wait for

ahead of them. Their party advanced steadily into the constant barrage, dispelling and conjuring wards in short bursts of movements. He kept the eels at their back, and they illuminated all ahead with light blue light. He was sure the spectacle would appear as though they were

thick strands of blood took the shape of a recurve bow. It was as tall as

wards again and again, less accurate on account of the wall of blinding light behind them. Argrave spotted a few mages possibly of A-rank in their number… but given the price of failure, each of their foes would use an A-rank spell as a last resort.

magic wisdom didn’t account for

he spurred the electric eels at his back

and lights. [Bloodfeud Bow] was used to shatter any wards, allowing passage for the [Electric Eels] to kill en masse. Confident in this theory, Argrave started to walk forward before the scene had settled, using what little time

as charred corpses. A great gash of overturned stone lined the floor and wall, until his arrow of blood hit a stop and dug ten feet through. What few

and called,

If they couldn’t… well, even now, near a hundred eels swirled above Argrave’s head, and Anneliese and Durran were unspent. He

#####

lock to the vault

that Ruleo would be able to handle something like this… but that would

respectfully. “Jerard might be able to handle this. I’m… I’m not sure where he is, sir, but things have nearly finished up. Sir,” he lowered his

for him. Stick to

her how she assembled so many talented

it,” Galamon said

turned to

the mind.” Galamon rubbed his breastplate of dark gray steel. “At… the beast.

sure none were listening. “Well, now’s not the time to

had been drawn from a haze. He shook his head and slapped

fine,” he

giving both a silent signal to keep an eye on Galamon. They waited by the vault. Not much time passed before the two he’d directed to find this locksmith

“You’re Jerard?” Argrave asked.

Yes, sir,” the man lowered

know locks?” Argrave

“I do, sir.”