Jackal Among Snakes

“Are you… sure this won’t do anything unwanted?” Vasilisa asked. She knelt just before one of the runes on the walls of the pit containing the Flame of the Tenebrous Star.

Argrave crossed his arms as he looked over her. His mind was still on the unexpected and unwanted disturbance from Erlebnis, and so he answered crassly, “Of course I’m sure. Just do it, yeah? We don’t have all the time to be lingering about.”

Vasilisa cast a glance at him, then back at the rune. Then, she snapped her finger. A simple pick of ice dug into the stone, wearing away the rune. Something shifted in the wind almost palpably, and the both of them looked up. The flame, as though freed of a bubble, rose up into the air and through the stone. The Magister rose to her feet, concerned.

“Take it easy,” Argrave assured her. “It’s returning to Quadreign. When we go back—ideally soon—it’ll be there.”

And I’ve got until then to deal with so much. The player character, Ganbaatar, turned vampire hunter… the coup here, and gathering together the spellcasters… and the more secular side of things, with Margravine Sophia and the Drawnwaters. And as for the mystical side…

Argrave was utterly certain Erlebnis was the one that extinguished the flame inside of him. Evidently, he greatly disliked the flame touching the Blessing of Supersession—he disliked it enough to purge it from Argrave’s body and make his displeasure known personally. And Erlebnis’ presence here had been precisely what Anneliese had been looking for to help with her A-rank ascension.

God damn it, Argrave repeated in his head. Well… he didn’t say I couldn’t do it again, he just said he didn’t like it, he coped, wanting to help Anneliese but also grappling with the notion of angering one of the most powerful gods. Most lesser gods were incapable of manifesting or providing blessings. The ‘gods’ of Vasquer had only managed to bless one person—Orion. He was their only gambit.

Erlebnis, though… Argrave knew of many humans and elves besides himself blessed, though admittedly not to the same degree as he was. Those blessed by him were the scholarly and secluded type, fortunately. Even barring the blessing, most gods couldn’t spontaneously manifest their power anywhere as Erlebnis just had. Perhaps Argrave’s Blessing of Supersession had been a conduit. That might’ve been the scariest idea—it meant he was a conduit for an ancient god.

“Argrave,” Anneliese’s voice drew him from his stupor. “We must devote time to think and discuss this later. For now, order must be restored.”

Argrave scratched his chin and was about to nod, but Vasilisa cut in, asking, “You know something about what happened? That soundlessness, that presence? I don’t think anything changed, but it still made me uneasy.”

with the flame—it’s something to do with me. A certain… protection, I suppose, nullified the flame. It was unexpected, but

only tilted her head as she

like to keep my cards close to my chest…

then nodded. “Whatever. I’m going straight back to Quadreign as soon as things are finished up here… maybe even before.” She sighed, then walked towards the stairs. Before she

sterner at

mutt,” she declared, letting the words hang. Argrave stared at her, puzzled. “I don’t know how you’ll do as king. And honestly, I don’t know if my sister will agree with what I’ve done…” she shook her head. “But from what I see… I extended my trust, and you didn’t leave me to rot. Might be that’ll change. But every other time I’ve taken a risk like this, I get used and abused. I keep doing it even still, holding out hope

stopped talking, then put her hand over her face like she was embarrassed. “What in the world am I saying…” she sighed. “I don’t know. Thanks. Thank you. You could be a

wrong about the king part. And I didn’t exactly do this selflessly. I

woman. Before Vasquer conquered Quadreign… I just let my mother decide what I do. After, I let Diana decide. I’ve got a tendency of following, even if I am supposedly a trailblazer on the path of magic. It’s why I get screwed often, I think.” Her gaze narrowed.

choices you made on behalf of your house, then.

visibly at those words, then she looked away. “Yeah.” She started walking up the stairs, leaving

kind but clumsy words struck a chord in Argrave. He’d learned a lot vis-à-vis interpersonal relationships, and instinct was screaming at him that this

Argrave called

stopped, staring down

think I ought to mention something. It’s about your niece… but primarily,

#####

greeted by a rather gruesome sight. Ivan had been strung up by a pole before the tower. The string was attached to a nail embedded in his head, and gravity wore at his body. Already, the news was spreading of the theft of the flame of Quadreign, and the re-establishment

mental note of this fact. Argrave knew Diana to be shrewd—naturally, the player could cure her in the original game. Argrave had used decidedly different methods, but the point stood. He’d have to make Diana aware of the