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.”

nodded. “But we can talk later. Things are

ward. “What do you need me to do?” she questioned while watching Mina who

I’m right, Chiteng 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

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

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

you wouldn’t do something to

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

it,” she repeated. “What did I

frowned. “Well, I wish you’d stop

“How many times have you heard someone say, ‘I’m your man’? Don’t make

peered into the ward ominously. “Let me take some time to tell you what you’re stealing. I’ll be talking quickly, but stop me if you 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

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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

won’t… get in trouble?” Mina

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 would even

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

cautious words did make Argrave change his method a bit 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

bow grew larger and larger, consuming the blood echo, Mina noted of Chiteng, “He’s

she flashed him an annoyed look before turning back to watch Chiteng, immobile yet with eyes open. Argrave felt the god was like a tired adult watching his child in

members of his family were different. It would take some time to wake them up. Not too long, but enough they needed to wait. Argrave was extremely glad to have the

solid to transparent in a matter of perhaps half a minute. When it finally vanished into nothingness, the arrow of [Bloodfeud Bow] released. It

one I used at Margrave Ivan’s tower… and maybe a little weaker than the one I used on the Shadowlander.

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 this area, he’d have both experience and numbers. That

Ganbaatar, and Orion watched 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 its power. Ganbaatar and Orion didn’t understand the magnitude,

was proud of that fact. But things were scaling up very quickly… and when thinking of what he’d 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

Shadowlander had 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

the mental capacity to do all of this in battle. He

Brumesingers 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