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

she questioned while watching Mina who stared into the ward in suspicious

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

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

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

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

I mean, if

“What did

I wish you’d

hands up. “How many times have you heard someone say, ‘I’m

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

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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 on the small island. It carried on for dozens of yards, and trees fell down one

in trouble?” Mina asked

behind, unwilling to pass through the door of the elven god’s making. He supposed he couldn’t fault him

“Elsewise, it would have happened a long

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 did—if he cast a spell, it was easier to make them cast a spell. To make them act independently, however, was a trying thing. He pointed its arrow up to

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

her, and she flashed him an annoyed look before turning back to watch

time to wake them up. Not too long,

watched, the 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 rocket, and Argrave smiled as the gale it generated whipped against his

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

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

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, but they looked at

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 skill or finesse necessary to combat something so fast, durable, and powerful. It’d

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

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

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