Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave rode back on the ivory whale for the island where the rest of his companions resided. He was ferrying back and forth often enough it felt like a waste of time, somewhat… but then, this would be the last time they’d step on its back, he supposed.

“Argrave… I want you to know that whatever happens in this place, this damnable forest… I’ll always be your woman,” Nikoletta said as they neared the island.

Argrave narrowed his eyes and turned his head slowly. “I thought we had this talk.”

“No, not ‘your woman’ like…” she sighed and rubbed her face. “I want to be of use to you, to the crown. I live to serve.”

“Commendable,” Orion praised.

The whale set upon the shore, and once they crossed back to the island Argrave grabbed Nikoletta’s shoulder and walked to the door that led to the exit of this realm. “If that’s true…”

Nikoletta, led by Argrave, did not have time to be surprised as they passed through the door’s threshold. In a very smooth fashion, they were once again back at the underground altar, their feet sinking deep into messy blood.

“I can think of something for you to do very soon,” he finished telling her.

She looked greatly off balance by the sudden shift of scenery and the abrupt request, yet the words still made some eagerness light up on her face. Before she could voice a response, the others that had been waiting back on the mortal realm stirred in surprise.

“Nicky!” Mina said, rushing over to her.

Artur greeted, “You made it. Had a little doubt, I’ll admit. I guess I need to learn to squash that.”

“Hello, Artur. You’re missing a nice tropical vacation,” he greeted the Magister as the two girls reunited.

“Am I now?” he tilted his head, eyes gleaming. “So… did you succeed?”

In response, Argrave projected the hands of one of his blood echoes out, and Artur cocked his head back in surprise.

“It’s… filled to the brim with magic,” he said in wonder. “You seem… your movements are strange, almost floaty. And you seem… fuller.”

“But we can talk later. Things are still in

Argrave finished casting a ward. “What do you need me to do?” she questioned while watching Mina who stared into the ward in

is going to bring all of us to a certain place where he and his family gather. There, my tongue is going to be flapping enough to put a hummingbird to shame.” Argrave pointed at her face. “I need you to steal something for me while

blinked a few times in quiet ponderance. “That’s why you stepped outside. Aren’t we… I mean, you intend

said slowly. “But I’m going to be attracting all of their attention, and this place lacks the omniscience that these gods have in their respective territories. I can understand why you might be intimidated after seeing that giant on his throne, seeing the teleportation, hearing the eerie damned whales,

nodded. “I trust you wouldn’t do something to get me

“Are you sure? I mean, if you feel it’s unsafe, Orion

she repeated. “What did I

“Well, I wish you’d stop

have you heard someone

have questions. I want to get back inside… and test things out,” Argrave held his hand up, willing one of the many blood echoes blooming inside his body move past his skin. “Remember not to breathe a word of

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raised theirs up with his. He cast a spell, held it… and then released. In tandem, the blood echoes cast the same spell. Four spiral bolts of blood magic rocketed outwards,

won’t… get in

too, after hearing what Nikoletta was asked to do. Only Artur remained behind, unwilling to pass through the door of the elven god’s making. He supposed he couldn’t fault him for that. Besides, it made Argrave comfortable having someone on the other side. Artur had proven himself reliable. Besides… who

shook his head. “Elsewise, it would have happened a long while

next task. He projected out the blood echo over the roiling red ocean, where Chiteng’s figure still sat with eyes closed. He made the echo cast [Bloodfeud Bow] while he himself did not. These echoes were easier to use when

of the bow grew larger and larger, consuming the blood echo, Mina noted of

So keep your lips sealed,” Argrave told her, and she flashed him an annoyed look before turning back to watch Chiteng, immobile yet

him with an offering of divinity, but the other members of his family were different. It would take some time to wake them up. Not too long, but enough they needed to wait.

blood echo grew from solid to transparent in a matter of perhaps half a minute. When it finally vanished into nothingness, the arrow of [Bloodfeud Bow] released. It soared up into the sky like a

nearly as strong as the one I used at Margrave Ivan’s tower… and maybe a little weaker than the one I used on the Shadowlander. Still, that’s easily

he severely underestimated just how important it was. If he hadn’t come here, practicing using these blood echoes would be impossible. They built up over time—very slowly, unless stimulated. If he’d gone into battle without proper practice, he’d have no idea how to make use of them efficiently. And now when he left

had seen [Bloodfeud Bow] firsthand and knew well its

fight in the next weeks alone, that power seemed like the bare minimum he needed. Even with these echoes on hand, there was no way in hell he could defeat even one Shadowlander unless he ambushed it or got lucky. He simply didn’t have the skill or finesse necessary to combat something

worked, all. It depleted the blackness of his blood, however, and once that was gone the spells failed to cast. Once the echoes were depleted of magic, he could only cast blood magic. And if they were depleted, they drew from his personal pool of magic to cast the actual spell. These

fighting, and Argrave questioned if he had the mental capacity to do all of this in battle. He supposed that all

sleeping on the rocks, an idea came to him. Using his blood echo, he conjured a C-rank weapon of blood magic, the common spell [Putrid Paramerion]. The curved blade manifested in the blood echo’s hand, and Argrave made it swing its arm… but the blade passed through, dropping onto the sandy