Jackal Among Snakes

Artur sat in the dank and smelly altar, where the iron and rot of the blood pooling on the floor pervaded every inch of this place. He had refused to follow Argrave into the other realm not once, but twice. He didn’t think the king judged him for that fact, but it still weighed as his mind. He could not quite say why he followed the man into the portal leading to the vast steppes yet not the elven realm… and he hoped that would not make the king hold a grudge.

But waiting here was dreadfully boring. He was glad to have the chance to recover his magic, at the very least.

As he started to drift off, a voice cracked into Artur’s hearing, rousing him immediately.

“Artur Nibwyrm,” the woman said, and he jerked his head upwards to attention.

A white-haired woman with amber eyes stood before him. Upon seeing elven ears he briefly thought the queen had returned to him here, but her voice sounded nothing like the calm and even Anneliese’s. This woman… she was a monstrous spellcaster. People like Castro and Rowe were overwhelming, but Artur had never seen an earthly parallel to the sheer quantity of magic this woman exuded. Immediately, he came to attention, fruitless though it felt to try and defend against her weakened as he was.

“…who are you?” he demanded cautiously when she did nothing.

The woman held up a piece of paper and tossed it. It glided like a jellyfish through water, floating down towards Artur with eerie, unearthly grace. He was alarmed, but he did catch it. And when his fingers met the page, the woman burst into black mist, vanishing like she never was. Artur’s breath quickened, and though he looked around in alarm saw no sign of her anywhere.

Artur eventually swallowed and looked down at what she had handed him. It was a decadent thing as far as paper goes—gold trim, a wax seal. But what made Artur’s heart pound quicker was the fact that it was enchanted. This was no cheap enchanted scroll one might buy in a corner shop for a party trick. This was an elaborate enchantment, deep and rich enough Artur thought its like could only fit onto metal. It was far beyond what he was capable of.

The Magister looked around once again for the elven woman, but seeing he was alone opened the page. he read through it, and as he neared the end, his hands began to tremble. And when he read the last page and closed his eyes, the thing degraded before his very eyes. He didn’t seem alarmed at this—rather, it seemed he expected that. Artur’s eyes gleamed with a thousand colors, and he trembled in uncertainty.

#####

“I told you I could get you what you wanted, didn’t I?” Argrave said even as Merata seemed liable to mince him. “I can’t rebuild the elven empire of old. But I can give it a second chance in the new generation.”

“Are you fearless or ignorant? I cannot tell,” Gunlik joked from behind, leaning on his bow.

“Ganbaatar said it himself. He thinks I’m the greatest hope for the future of the elves,” Argrave pointed to his still-angry companion with his thumb. “With Kirel Qircassia coming, and his coalition surely nipping at his heels… do you think the way to restoration for your people is to kowtow before overwhelming force? Even now, I have little doubt those you call Woodschildren fight against the servants freed from Kirel’s realm. If one side is winning handily, why would there be a need to sue for peace? This is no equal struggle—this is his first wave of conquest.”

Merata’s red eyes narrowed. “A mortal younger than my shortest hair knows nothing of the judgment.”

Argrave nodded. “I’ve never been through one. But I’ve spoken to others who’ve been through it, and they imparted vast amounts of knowledge unto me.” He looked back to Ganbaatar. “The reason why your gods lost contact with those in the Bloodwoods is simple: their position here was weak. Their primary focus was surviving the cycle, and so communication and presence in the mortal realm suffered. In the last hundred years or so, it’s degraded over the years into no presence at all.”

in surprise, he saw Merata holding a crook, its hook already wrapped around his neck. “Knowledge of our situation should inspire caution, not boldness. You are weak. I could kill you with a twist of my wrist alone, and this is despite weakening myself greatly manifesting in this… limited body. Why do

know the mortal realm better than most everyone in it, and I have the freedom to do as I like,” Argrave said, making no effort to free his neck from its precarious position.

his neck. Dairi, goddess of water, walked up behind and

only time everyone is truly mortal,” Argrave carried on unflinchingly. “And though you are very far removed from those already living on the mortal realm… there, you’re not all-knowing. But if you know your opponents, if you know the land, if you know weaknesses and strengths, strategies, quantities, qualities… even a small

half a question and half a

Steppe of the centaurs to reach your altars. There, I used souls to open the gates. And I offered a medallion stolen from Fellhorn to rouse Chiteng,” Argrave looked back to the still-standing god of flesh and blood. “Do you think that was something I stumbled into by accident? Of course not. I knew how to come here. And I know much and more besides, I promise you. Enough to

twisted his wrist, and the crook came free of Argrave’s neck. He hid it back inside his long flowing hair adroitly as though it

pounding as his safety felt more certain. “I promised Ganbaatar something. I promised him a land where his people would be the only ones within… a land where the centaurs and all other foul beasts making the Bloodwoods named thusly are absent, without exception. The centaurs betrayed you nearly a millennia

It’s a rash that needs to be burned away,

of a different descendance than your Woodschildren. One is my wife. I don’t care about heritage, dignity, or pride. I’m

seemed to resonate with the gods… though whether it made them

might expect, and I

in line,”

few moments, confused.

to know so much, but you know not when

just… generally these things aren’t decided on so quickly

intend to be more. We were like you, once. Leaders of many. Now… the cycles pass us

sisters,” Dairi said, then

speak to father,” Gunlik said, hefting his bow

finished, turning back. “Chiteng shall give

blinked. He had intended to ask for

you say, and you intend to grant us freedom to act on the mortal realm before the arbiter thins the barrier enough for us to pass… then go. Tell Chiteng your plan. He has introduced you—he can serve as intermediary. All

pleased things were moving so quickly until he remembered that Nikoletta might need more time. Still, his breath caught in his mouth as the whole of them turned and left, leaving Argrave with Chiteng alone. He turned to look at Ganbaatar, hoping

said, then walked

stopped Chiteng. “With Erlebnis… should I…? I mean, you told me to be subtle, but was that really alright to leave it like

not mention it again,” Chiteng stopped.

he nodded. Chiteng straightened and added, “…it does no good to