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.”

talk later. Things

you need me to do?” she questioned while watching Mina who stared into the ward in suspicious annoyance like a cat might watch fish inside a

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

you stepped outside. Aren’t we…

Reinhardt. “Well… it’s not stealing, exactly… it won’t be missed…” He sighed. “Look, I know that the prospect is intimidating,” Argrave 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

do it,” Nikoletta nodded. “I trust you wouldn’t do something to get

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

she repeated. “What did I say?

I wish you’d

have you heard someone say, ‘I’m

I want to get back inside… and test things out,” Argrave

#####

echoes of identical stature 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, tearing through the trees

in trouble?” Mina

making. He supposed

“Elsewise, it would have happened a long while

for the 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 they were mimicking something that he

the blood echo, Mina noted of Chiteng, “He’s just sitting there…

annoyed look before turning back to watch Chiteng, immobile yet with eyes

the other members of his family were different. It would take some time to wake them up. Not too long, but enough they

solid to transparent in a matter of perhaps half a minute. When it finally vanished into nothingness, the arrow of

and maybe a little weaker than the one I used on the Shadowlander. Still, that’s easily as powerful as an S-rank

felt worth it just to see that. Argrave thought that coming to this realm would be a boon, but 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

Argrave like he was putting on a show. Vasilisa looked greatly uneased by his displays of power. She had seen [Bloodfeud Bow] firsthand and knew well

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 so fast, durable, and powerful. It’d toss a rock or something at the speed of sound, and his head would turn into a fine red mist before he could react. He was a glass cannon even

been an endgame threat, Argrave refocused. He next tried casting normal spells—elemental spells. Fire, lightning, ice—it 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

if he had the mental capacity to do all of this in battle. He supposed that

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