Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 381

If Erlebnis’ play had been only to inspire paranoia, then he succeeded splendidly.

In the time to come living in the unnamed elven city, they ate meat aplenty and drank that strange brew of firemilk. But their time was occupied with darker tasks than eating and drinking, naturally. Argrave and Anneliese made a point of surveying each and every member of their party. They had time to spare while Batbayar assembled a team and prowled the land, determining where there might be a newly-induced foundational weakness caused by the upheaval of roots. The elven commander assured it would not take long.

The first subjects of their examination were the Magisters. They were both the most potent and the most suspect. Artur had already been under scrutiny by the both of them, considering that he was the first point of contact by Onychinusa and then later Dimocles. Vasilisa had long ago proven her trustworthiness, and they saw no way she could be even an unwitting informant.

Naturally, their lens of scrutiny was drawn to Moriatran. The man stayed in one of the Veidimen tents pitched on the ground beneath a particularly sizable root. They visited him one night.

They asked him pointed questions—why he had decided to come with them, what he intended to gain, what he thought of the direction of the expedition… but through each and every inquiry, the man answered the questions naturally. Eventually, Argrave just decided to ask a very decisive question.

“Do you have experience with any gods in your days? You’ve lived a while. What do you make of this?”

The old man looked at them, his eyes dark and shadowed from the light on his woodstove. “I avoid the gods. I’ve lost pupils to them, seen even Magisters go mad. But before today, I never thought they’d take physical form…” the man sat back, and then slowly rose to his feet with a painful grunt. “Perhaps I ought to clear the air, Your Majesty.”

Argrave raised one brow. “Please.”

“I don’t want anything from you. I don’t work for anyone. The fact is, you asked for volunteers to help you in this journey. I came because you impressed me, with word and with deed. That’s it.” The old man spread his arms out as though to profess innocence. “I do not intend to so meekly fade into history books beneath greater names. That is all this old man at the end of his days seeks.”

With that, Argrave looked to Anneliese… but her expression solidified there was no room for doubt.

And so their search began once again. Nikoletta and Mina proved no problems. Ganbaatar was reliable. Orion would sooner die. The Veidimen officers Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten were uncorrupted… so in the end, they were forced to delve into the ranks of the Veidimen honor guard.

The Veidimen camped in tents of five, and so Argrave and Anneliese visited them in groups of five. They surveyed group after group, learning names, inquiring about injuries, and occasionally slipping in questions about gods and belief. Apparently it proved very effective in earning respect and endearment, but beyond that…

Nothing. Anneliese’s near-supernatural empathy, which Argrave had seen fail only on the Alchemist, suggested that none of their subordinates were compromised by Erlebnis.

Argrave and Anneliese sat alone in their room, an entire day wasted. “This means… the only option I can think of it that we were followed, spied on,” Argrave waved his hand in frustration. “But I swear, what Dimocles said… he had to know what we were doing. And if not our people, then…?”

“I would agree,” Anneliese nodded, though a look of doubt was on her face. “Maybe… maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention.”

Argrave stared at her amber eyes sternly. “Do you genuinely believe that, or are you just surprised that nothing came up?”

“Just… surprised,” Anneliese admitted quietly.

“Thought so.” Argrave rubbed his face, sighing, “Good lord. I am immeasurably glad we don’t have to work closely with the elven gods. I’d be sweating enough to fill a tub.”

“If we were spied on by somoene…” Orion spoke up. “They avoided my senses. That is a difficult feat.”

Anneliese and Argrave both agreed silently, then looked at each other. Both seemed to wait for the other to tell what happened next.

spirits, and we lack shamanic magic. The only place I can think of finding some… it’s the place the dryads are, and it has one without the other,” Argrave shrugged. “But the dryads don’t have to be found if they don’t want to be. We can’t get there, not without the elves’ guidance. And as things stand, they simply don’t trust us enough to do

the

head firmly. “Just not what it does. It’s a one-way road. I could fight Erlebnis with his own Blessing—that is why they’re seldom

“Then I have nothing more, Argrave. What can we do but keep our eyes open and our mouths

Orion turned his head

an elven warrior came

said. “He’d like to speak

rose to his feet at once.

#####

Batbayar was sitting leisurely and enjoying a drink when Argrave arrived. The commander paused, seeming surprised,

thought we

today,” Argrave said, and then came to him. “So—you have a

not rush. Already, I have men working them towards this spot.

head, somewhat disappointed. “Alright. You’re Ganbaatar’s mentor, so I trust

called out, “King Argrave. If

turned. “Can you? That’s

are gods? And how did you

then slowly walked towards him. “Big

a boy, I had grandiose images of what the gods were. But they look like

and Ujin, father and mother. Then Merata, the eldest. Chiteng, Dairi, Gunlik, and then the quadruplets Lunho, Orda, Murgid, and Volgar.” He chuckled. “Time was, the most notable thing about them was the fact they had quadruplets. But at

mortal,” Batbayar said, narrowing his eyes. “Certainly, it…

won’t

in the room. He lowered his head. “Apologies, King

I shouldn’t have, anyhow,” he shrugged, knowing the slave

look forward to working with you on

#####

here…” Argrave muttered, peering through the great Redwoods. Ganbaatar and a few other members of the Supreme Myriarch’s Kheshig had carried the royal pair up

animals fled from the rampaging horde. The Amaroks, great wolves that they were, resisted fiercely but died or fled before fire and steel. The leonine Mishis fared better, possessing their lengthy spiked tails to ward away foes from a distance, but most thought it more prudent to flee than face harsh resistance. Great arrows as thick as pillars soared up into the sky, leaving wide holes in trees as the centaurs sought

angling them in a peculiar yet familiar way. When he blew, a loud whistle echoed throughout the canopy. He’d learned this trick from Anneliese, and now he was glad he had. It was loud,

only those

off the tree, falling through the canopy. Now, it seemed, was the time to use Artur’s slowfall. He drifted daintily down, keeping one hand to the tree trunk as he saw the horde of rampaging

#####

empty… but a red apparition appeared beside him, a matrix swirling in its hand. When the spell completed, a maroon greatsword manifested, plummeting toward the ground. The prince caught its handle

cast in combat against him. It was this greatsword that he used to cut off his father’s hands and end his career as a spellcaster. Orion held it near

horde of the centaurs, growing ever closer in their destructive mayhem. He raised his left hand and pushed down the golden visor of his helm with his thumb, and then bounded over

came—an arrow as tall as Orion and thick as his arm, headed straight for his chest. He strafed it easily, then took the next step. More arrows came one after the other.

those he couldn’t. Their projectiles were fast enough to break his steel-like bones, yet still he came, ignoring all pain from wounds received

casting a wave of fire forth to clear the land ahead of obstructive roots. In unified tandem they began to gallop in the path cleared. The armored man-beasts with lances in arms made the charge of heavy cavalry seem pathetic by comparison—tons each, armored in steel head to hoof… they were a roving

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