Jackal Among Snakes

Orion stepped in front of a large wooden house that was guarded by a great contingent of royal knights. For a few moments, they braced in anticipation of the big man that entered before them. Yet when recognition dawned, one stepped forth.

“Prince Orion?!” the man shouted, infinitely surprised. “You… you’ve returned?” The man took a deep breath, and duty came to the front of his mind. “The king informed us to send you to him as soon as you were found.”

“People say Vasquer is down there,” Orion looked at the man.

Orion and Boarmask passed back through the Burnt Desert, travelling quickly. As time proceeded, Orion felt a sense of urgency—he even carried the knight on occasion to make the journey go faster. And once they passed over the mountains dividing Vasquer from the desert of black sand…

Vasquer. Not the kingdom nor the house, but the snake from which so much of both derived their legitimacy. Though Boarmask had said there was no such thing as a moment of enlightenment and Orion had never found one himself… as soon as he heard the news, his urgency to return to his home redoubled. It felt like a light amidst the tunnel of darkness he walked. This must be the answer he sought.

If any could free him of doubt and indecision, it was surely the one who had started this all: Vasquer.

Once Orion stepped back on the kingdom’s soil, the whispers returned… yet now, they felt strangely alien to him. Indeed, it was difficult to adapt, difficult to sleep. And he did not listen to them. He had another he might receive answers from, another he might find the truth from. And he pursued that goal relentlessly, readily accepting Boarmask’s help to this end. Now, the two of them had been led here by rumors and whispers.

All of that led him here.

“My prince, how did you get here?” another asked, stepping towards Orion. “The king and the guard have been searching for you. Your presence is desperately needed at the palace.”

“Is Vasquer in here?” Orion repeated, unheeding.

“Yes,” one royal knight finally answered, almost off-handedly.

Another knight looked at him angrily, yet quickly stepped up before Orion. “The king has forbidden all to enter here. Please, my prince, return to the palace.”

“The royal family is barred from nowhere,” Orion dismissed, stepping past.

Boarmask protested, yet

them all, for none were willing or able to harm him. His feet moved so quickly he seemed to fly down the stairs,

certain point, a gargantuan figure entered his view. Golden, coiled, and bound… he saw Vasquer in all her glory. Her size and majesty were so awe-inspiring that Orion’s breath

and time again, echoing across the vast stone chamber. His steps were slow, and a great

still following. “Or—” his voice cut off as he, too, witnessed the great serpent

had been trapped and bound by the Bat until very recently. Yet from what Orion saw… she was still bound, still trapped. His feet moved forth almost unwillingly, spurring Orion towards the

no fear, despite the sheer scope of this majestic serpent. It felt as though he walked towards a great protector—a figure of myth that he’d read of for years, manifest in flesh and blood. Boarmask still followed yet made no noise beyond the sound of his plate armor boots pounding against the

his body. He felt drawn to her as iron to a magnet, and his hand raised to

from the gods’ way, different than his own thoughts… yet even still, its method was familiar.

felt so right as surrendering

of Orion’s woes exploded out of his mind. It was not like a bursting dam; instead, it was like the dam ceasing to exist in less than a second. His questions, his uncertainties, his self-doubt, his confusion, and

that all as uncompromisingly as

men, unlike the whispers of gods… he knew this all was real, he felt it in his very being. He did not

be confused, the comfort came, though not in words. The world is a confusing place. No one can

the glow of

microcosm of his ancestor’s making. Minutes passed. But as was human nature… contentment alone soon lost its appeal. Orion remembered why he had come here, what had spurred this confusion, and the answers he sought.

on behalf of his ideals in the

so the truth

They came as protectors, defenders of the world. They sought to establish a bastion against the great evil

more than anything, death, destruction, and loss.

protectors into enforcers of his will and declared a kingdom. The second son craved dominion over life. He embraced the unnatural magic of vampirism and went to war with

against each other, causing betrayals in their ranks and continued disunity until they both perished in their foolish, overreaching ventures. He embraced the help of ninety-six spirits who gave him power. In return, he helped them

third son twisted an ambitious conquest into