Jackal Among Snakes

“It’ll be hard,” Argrave stared at Anneliese as he spoke, the both of them now on foot. “Not to mention the other problems we might encounter in the city. Everyone will need heavy security.”

Argrave’s whole inner circle had gathered, and everyone sent nervous glances towards the distant blackening Dragon Palace. There was someone else with them—Duke Sumner.

“But it could be all we have,” Anneliese reminded him. “Orion’s presence is the only reason this thing has not spilled out onto the streets, if I understand you right.”

Argrave nodded at her, eyes lingering on the walls. “Then we don’t have any time to lose. Sumner, that breach in the walls you mentioned orchestrating—you’re sure you can get your army in position at the right time?”

“Definitely,” Sumner nodded. “If your people have to scale all the way up that mountain, we’ll be there long before it happens. I have questions about… whatever in the worldthat creature was,” the veteran mage shuddered, for he, too, had scouted out the Dragon Palace with druidic magic alongside Anneliese. “But if Your Majesty is confident enough to lead at the front into battle to vanquish it, I will follow.”

Argrave patted his shoulder as he walked past him. “Good,” he left the duke that praise. The others fell in line beside him, moving to begin their advance. “Elenore, don’t take any risks. You’ll be well-protected, but things can still happen. We experienced what happens there once before, trapped… and now someone’s behind this. Maybe someone familiar to you.”

“I know,” his sister answered back. “But you won’t be well-protected. Perhaps you ought to worry about yourself.”

“I know,” Argrave repeated the same thing she’d said. “I’m used to this sort of thing, in case you forgot.”

“Go, then,” she nodded patiently, gray eyes ill at ease.

Elenore remained behind, Argrave’s royal guards and two loyal A-rank mages staying by her side to protect her as they advanced.

“Is there something else troubling you?” Anneliese asked as they walked onwards.

once, then said, “Hegazar and Vera are going

Vasilisa

if I had,” Argrave shook his head. “I’ll be relying on you, Vasilisa. On all of you.” He adjusted the silver bracer on his arm, then pulled up his enchanted

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rumble, one brick fell free, shimmering with broken enchantments. Then, they all started to fall one after another, cascading down the mountain and dislodging yet more rock until they fell down into the city of Dirracha. Even from far away, she could see something foul and black leaking out. She saw what she thought were royal knights, and briefly thought

Georgina called

us. We’re climbing without being peppered by insane

dozen soldiers up the mountain, using mountain-climbing gear to speed their ascent. Though they might’ve taken the Royal Road, the sole normal entrance to the palace, the two of them needed to

not voice her thoughts in wake of her commander’s words. Eventually, a stone overhang blocked them from proceeding further. Georgina

the last to climb up the rope. They all stood on a balcony overlooking the city, beyond which there was a brown and dying garden that had thrived, once. “Looks like Orion hasn’t

to the tower in question—it was just barely visible. There, the wicked warping darkness that ate light thrived. She could not

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his breath heavy. He bled from half a dozen slowly-healing wounds, and his armor had been torn in so many places. Opposite him, the humanoid from

whip, and Orion darted to the side. Once its weapon settled it flicked its wrist at the prince in a fluent motion. The flexible strand of darkness jumped again and Orion barely ducked low enough to dodge. The whip-like weapon tore through the walls and the ceiling as though the bricks were only wheat before a

rigid or malleable at its will. It thrust, cut, and slammed it as a staff, or sent it whipping inhumanly fast as it tore apart this ancient palace with ease. The creature was intelligent, brutally powerful, and impossibly fast despite its size; Orion found no openings. Instead, he was forced on a

a care. It was as though the being found itself surrounded by unlimited power, and now reveled in its ability. And perhaps it did. Orion

up, stabbed it into the ground, and used it as a lever to open a great gash in the floor. It fell away, revealing bare mountainside. Orion,

to find a foothold in the cliff face. He didn’t manage to stabilize himself but flipped upside down dangerously. He slid down, barely

out across Dirracha. It turned its head about, looking at the wide plains and the city before it. Its corklike face began to unwind, revealing a soulless purple eye. Orion climbed up onto the ledge, staring up at it

walk beyond this place,”