Jackal Among Snakes

Vasilisa grabbed the iron gate that stood out front the palace in Quadreign. She fit in a key and opened it wide. Argrave eyed the gate—it was cheaply made, and the iron had grown rusty and brittle. The Magister had led them through the city with purpose, and they’d diligently followed behind their escort. It wasn’t as though any people blocked their way.

The quest line in Quadreign had always described the city as failing, as a fragment of its former glory. Certainly, the player could observe the failing houses, the decrepit palace, and the stagnant clocktower. Even still, Argrave felt as though he was seeing the city for the very first time. These were living people enduring hard times in this land of bitter cold. He saw how thin they were, how they shuddered in their poorly heated homes, and how they slowly withered away in this isolated valley.

There was an old man waiting for them in the palace’s courtyard. He wore clothing that once might have been brilliant blue but was now faded and worn and lined with fur to ward away the cold. Vasilisa stepped right up to him.

“Young lady,” he greeted. Argrave recognized him—he was the steward of this palace. Befitting an elder member of House Quadreign, he was a mage with quite a formidable magic pool.

“That title is no longer applicable, Ferrel,” she said coldly. “Here.”

Ferrel took a bag from her hand, and Argrave heard metal clinking within. The steward looked inside, then looked back to Vasilisa. “But… my lady… all of what you earned?”

“I am still part of this house. Take it. I will brook no protest,” she commanded him.

The steward acquiesced with a quiet bow. “It will help alleviate some of the debt.”

“Forget the debt,” she disagreed. “That money is for supplies. The Lous family lost half their herd. We need to buy food, other essentials, distribute them.”

“Of… course, my lady,” Ferrel bowed a little deeper.

“These elves are my guests,” Vasilisa looked back, blue eyes steady. “I want them to meet my sister. They… are here about the flame.”

“Your sister is…” Ferrel’s lips twitched. “I’ll speak to her. It might be difficult. You know how she is.”

“Alright,” Vasilisa nodded, her stern voice lightening up somewhat. “You three. Come along.”

#####

Vasilisa escorted the three of them to a guest house within the palace. It was poorly maintained, and this fact seemed to embarrass the Magister greatly. She promised it would be cleaned, but Argrave insisted it was something they’d be willing to handle themselves. She seemed insulted at first, but gradually she accepted the proposition.

They didn’t have the chance to do much, though. Ferrel returned after a time, and they were escorted within the palace proper—specifically, the great hall beneath the clocktower. Though there was a great ascending set of stairs leading to a throne that seemed to be made for a giant, the person they had been brought to meet—Vasilisa’s sister—sat in a simple chair at the foot of these stairs, the steward standing just beside her. Her name was Diana, and she was the present baroness of Quadreign. She looked quite like Vasilisa, being blonde and blue-eyed, yet age marked her a little more than it had her sister.

As they approached, he heard Diana question Ferrel quietly, in a voice almost too low to hear, “Do I know them?”

“No, my lady. They are new to us. Your sister brought them,” the answer came, just as quiet.

Diane nodded, then leaned her head against her hand and massaged it gingerly as they approached.

you came here to look at reigniting the flame,” Diana said

work. Consequently, we are the only able

on their faces, but they were in their general direction. “And… reigniting this flame. What…” she paused for a few seconds. “…actions do it…

with this matter,”

moments, then refocused. “Then you have my leave,”

once again. “I

more, I’d very much like to

the arm rest of her chair firmly.

course,” Argrave said. “Thank you for your

Vasilisa very eagerly shepherded them back towards the courtyard of the palace. “Diana is very busy and overworked with things, otherwise I’m sure she’d ask for more,” she explained as they walked. “The territory is… not what it once was, and my sister has been working very hard to curb our decline. There are many troubles with being isolated as we are—troubles that were once addressed by this flame. On

do so,” Argrave agreed. “Indeed, I think things would be for the best if we got to work immediately. To that end… I’d like to see the site where the flame is

nodded slowly. “Yes, it was. I need to take care of a few other things before we go there. Return to the

#####

left behind,” Durran commented as he watched the docks of Relize from Leopold’s estate. One didn’t have a clear view of the sea, and even if there was, Durran didn’t know

that they’re

turned his head back. “Things will

have to maintain respect for Argrave when he won’t be marching beside his army. And the spellcasters we have,

well-accustomed to earning respect, no matter the situation? You earned a place in the world with a name alone. A rather unintimidating name, at that.

get to work,” Elenore changed the subject. “The army moves. I think the first order of business… shall

#####

to make it look like he was doing some important deciphering. As a point of fact, though, it was all just acting. An investigation quest had little meaning when one already knew

his feet and turned around, where Vasilisa stood expectantly. “Well? Were you

isn’t extinguished,” Argrave

narrowed into small slits. “That’s a bit difficult to accept when we’re standing

around, making a point to survey the place.

nothing to maintain,” she shook her head. “If they are active, they’re

flame isn’t here anymore. The runes are somewhat degraded because they’ve been sustaining the flame from quite a long distance away.” He looked up. “Given the nature of sending energy through the air… you might have noticed some people getting sick. Muscles seizing up. Vomiting up blood. These runes weren’t made for long-distance maintenance, and the energy travelling through the air

mind. Her eyes trembled in rage, and she swallowed deeply. Galamon eyed her cautiously, keeping

Pilfered, taken away, used by another?” the Magister

someone knowledgeable enough came in close contact, they could steal

be reversed?” Vasilisa spoke through

year to reignite the flame. The runes would need time to rebuild its essence from the ground up. Though I should note the thief would lose the flame, wherever they might

to Anneliese, yet the fact that she remained calm said that there was probably no

gave her

to the palace and doing such a thing? As I understand it, that place is a hotbed of

it,” Argrave shook his head. “If the capital of this kingdom is further south than Relize, the runes could not sustain it so. In addition, as I mentioned… it would have to be someone knowledgeable about the flame. I’m