Jackal Among Snakes

Duke Rovostar crouched at the top of a hill, watching the Dragon Palace radiate shadow with morbid fascination. He, just as all his men, had felt the strange force that emanated outwards… and now witnessed what seemed to pull the world inwards. And as he did, he recalled the conversations with Traugott.

#####

“Why are you doing this?” Rovostar had asked, his scarred face dancing in and out of light as a single torchlight flickered.

Traugott, the dark-skinned Magister, had smiled. “You attended the Order. You know of forces beyond comprehension… but you’ve never experienced them.” His eyes wandered to the torch he held. “I had shelved trying to understand the gods, trying to bear witness… but I realize, now, I struggled on that field because I stared at a shut door. I have been enlightened, recently, by a chance encounter with someone who knows more than I do. Perhaps ‘encounter’ is the wrong word… but I was enlightened nonetheless.”

Rovostar recalled narrowing his eyes back then as they met in the loyalist camp. At the time, he’d thought this was just nonsensical ramblings.

“This realm is just as dangerous to the gods as the gods are dangerous to us,” Traugott said with a smile. “Spirits, gods, souls… all three are interconnected parts of a larger whole. One is transitory—a key. The other two are… symbiotic,” he explained. He examined Rovostar’s face, then laughed. “You don’t have any idea what I’m talking about, do you? Well, it doesn’t matter. Orion is the key to what we both want. I will distract him for your ends, which ultimately serves my ends. That’s the end of the matter.”

“This is a dangerous man we’re talking about,” Rovostar had cautioned. “He crushed the head of some pompous Magister with his bare hands. He makes a habit of brutalizing the arrogant. When he was on my side, it was reassuring. As an enemy, Prince Orion is nightmarish.”

“I’m not intending to fight. I’m intending to distract,” Traugott shook his head. “And I assure you… Orion will have his eyes on nothing else.”

#####

As Rovostar stared at the palace in recollection, Georgina walked up beside him. “I’m ready,” she declared.

“I’m not,” Rovostar said idly, questioning only now if he had too eagerly accepted help because of their desperate position. “But I never have been ready to fight, not really. Let’s recover His Majesty.”

#####

Traugott. The Magister was no fighter—the spells he cast were not done at opportune times, his accuracy was off, and his general situational and spatial awareness were not especially high. The only thing enabling this

should’ve realized that something was

you’ll amount to?” he questioned calmly, his breathing only slightly uneven. “I wait,

rushed angrily. He ran his hands along the ground and waved them forward as though he splashed through an ocean. In response to his whims,

Traugott disappeared, Orion did not stop his pursuit. Where the man’s body disappeared, he reached, trying to catch him. He had expected his fingers to meet stone… yet instead, they sunk through. Shocked, Orion tried to grip

persisted like a puddle of abyssal ink. Orion put his

we have it,” came Traugott’s voice from behind Orion. “I was beginning to worry

head around and prepared to attack as needed, yet suddenly a great scream pierced his ears. It had no source. The prince fell to one knee in shock, and for the first time he

side. “You will get what you want, Orion. I never lied.

able to say anything more as the screaming echoed through his head. It was a chorus of voices, each and all in extraordinary pain. He released his grip entirely and fought

have the key,” Traugott said calmly. “Yet you, parasite-ridden host that you are… are

both feet again, and put all of his full body strength into pulling his arms free. His back, his legs, his arms… all fought to no avail even as a hundred voices screamed in agony in his ears. Then, without warning, he felt a sudden deprivation. His mind felt like

“The spirits leave you, having opened the border. I was right.” The

managed to wrest his arms out somewhat. Slowly, he gained momentum. As the last scream became an echo, Orion came free and collapsed back onto the stone with heavy breath. Most of his

as though being sucked inside. Whatever emerged writhed. The more light it absorbed, the more clearly defined its form became. Orion barely recognized it as a gargantuan colorless finger with a long uncut nail. It tried to widen

by the spirits…” he kneeled

and lunged at Traugott as he stared in fascination. The Magister widened his eyes and tried to step away, but the prince thrust his hand out at his chest. He managed to get a ward up, but Orion broke straight past it and punched the man in the shoulder. He heard cracks and pops as Traugott’s shoulder twisted unnaturally. The man barely grunted

of them, and Orion’s armor had been torn to shreds. Traugott held his right shoulder with his left hand, healing magic already

doesn’t matter. I’ve proven a theory of mine with your help,” he said as his shoulder corrected back into place.

with a clear mind. The whispers that had troubled him… they were

Orion started to walk forth, feeling that whatever tried to escape from this opening could not be allowed to do so.

it. That gave the creature time enough to free itself. As soon as it came through, the opening shut,