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.”

throat. When he turned his head 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

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

the crook firm beside his neck. Dairi, goddess of

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,

lightly, half a question and half a

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

neck. He hid it back inside his long flowing hair

land where his people would be the only ones within… a land where the centaurs and all other foul beasts making the

bowstring burned brighter. “No, it itches. It’s a rash that needs to be burned

is my wife. I

togetherness seemed to resonate with the gods…

Argrave suggested, “My first act would only benefit you. Freedom to act on the mortal realm before others is a boon not even Kirel Qircassia might expect, and I can offer it to you without expecting anything in return. When your divine forms alight upon

the others in line,”

a few moments,

much, but you know not when words spoken inspire agreement?” Merata

aren’t decided on so quickly and unilaterally,”

Qircassian Coalition is no option at all. My family are survivors. We intend to be more. We were like you, once. Leaders of many. Now… the cycles pass us by.” He turned. “Who

sisters,” Dairi said,

father,” Gunlik said, hefting

leaves me with our brothers,” Merata finished, turning back. “Chiteng shall

He had intended to

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

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 he had yet more to say. The abrupt shift

Chiteng said, then

mean, you told me to be subtle, but was that really alright to leave it like

mention it again,” Chiteng stopped. “Say nothing.

was taken aback, but he nodded. Chiteng straightened and added, “…it does no good to stir the waters.