Jackal Among Snakes

After the conversation with Batbayar, Argrave managed to get a few hours of sleep… sleep made harder by knowing the most pivotal part of the plan would come in twenty-four hours. Less, given the time that had elapsed. Batbayar evidently decided that time was of the essence. His conscious mind welcomed it, but his subconscious mind wanted far more time to rest and prepare for this grand undertaking.

On the next morning, something arrived when Argrave walked out of his tent—a large black bird with a huge wingspan, filtering through the trees in search of Argrave. Orion regarded the bird cautiously, almost viewing it as an enemy, but Argrave walked towards it and held his right arm out. Nikoletta must’ve ridden day and night to arrive and speak to Elenore so quickly. Its claws gripped him a lot more delicately than the average bird might’ve… but then, a druidic bond would have human mannerisms when controlled by a human.

There was a bundle tied to the bird’s legs—one on each side, so as to balance out its weight. They were books, two of them, with nothing else provided in the way of context. Argrave had demanded it be that way, in case Erlebnis somehow had a way to intercept messages.

Argrave freed the two books, taking them in hand. With that, the bird—in truth, Nikoletta through her druidic bond—nodded at him and departed. He hadn’t even been able to give his thanks.

“What is it?” Orion questioned.

Argrave looked around before opening them, but Onychinusa was preoccupied talking with Anneliese about something. Satisfied that Erlebnis’ champion was distracted, he opened the books up, reading the footnotes left by the ancient and departed writer. When he got midway through the explanation, he inhaled sharply.

[Worldstrider], Argrave read the spell’s name. An A-rank spell of precise teleportation.

Argrave had been confident in retrieving this tome of shamanic magic from the ruins of the dryads, but now that he had one in hand he felt a great relief. He hadn’t expected Elenore to have any shamanic worth delivering, but this tome alone was half the reason shamanic magic couldn’t be discounted. If he hadn’t been constrained by travel times, movement speeds… he could’ve achieved much more than he had. Days and days he’d walked, run, hiked… and days and days he’d wasted. No amount of money could buy time. This spell was the closest thing.

The other wasn’t so grandly useful, but it still drew his eye: [Resonance]. It was a C-rank spell that helped the caster track down other spirits. Though basic shamanic magic, it was the basics that formed the foundation of the grander stuff. Even still, one needed spirits to even cast the spell, so it was useless of yet. In the long term, though, this spell would be incredibly important.

But even in the short term… I can make use of this. If I have the spell ahead of time, I can learn it. Or given the disparity in talent, maybe Anneliese would be best with these. She can use A-rank spells already, after all, unlike me. Argrave closed the book. All we need are spirits.

His gaze fell upon Onychinusa pointedly, who still talked with Anneliese even now. His queen noticed him—and his annoyance at their closeness, perhaps—for she left words of departure to the ancient elf and then walked to Argrave. He didn’t miss the blatant displeasure on the ancient elf’s face, but she turned around and looked out into the forest and distanced herself from them.

“What are we doing now?” Anneliese asked as she came to stand by him.

“Getting an update on how the elven gods fare, getting an excuse for a departure, and then seeing if we can actually get what I wanted.” Argrave handed her the books discreetly, and she accepted them knowing their importance by how he looked. “Hold these for me, would you? Let’s go. You can read them if you’re bored…”

#####

“I’ll cover for you, but your excuse before the myriarchs was shoddy,” Altan told him flatly. “If you’re gone for long, people will begin to suspect.”

Argrave had told the myriarchs that loose ends remained untied with the centaurs. Given the threat another enemy might pose, it was justified enough to allow Argrave a little freedom in his activities.

“The bulk of my guard is remaining here,” Argrave shook his head. “They won’t be suspicious of a thing.”

crossing her arms.

help you establish leadership,” Argrave confirmed, though he didn’t intend to

off to attend to whatever it was she had to attend to. Argrave jogged back where Anneliese and

queried Orion. He had been somewhat briefed on the plan. “I know Vasilisa

us… she’d win. She knows every spell I do and then some, and she already has what we’re

words, Orion gave

took a concerned touch from Argrave to bring her back to attention. She nodded decisively. “I am ready for this. But I read

He’d given her most of the day free to examine what Nikoletta had delivered. If she was expressing trouble, then Argrave

done… and so damned little time, Argrave thought internally, but only grabbed Anneliese’s wrist. “All

#####

to the rest of their group in unclear terms, and then went to join Batbayar at the edge of the woods. Onychinusa already waited there, sitting on a root quietly a distance away from the myriarch. The

“Everything set?” Batbayar asked.

“Yes,” Argrave said succinctly.

Once he was satisfied, his red eyes scanned their party. He gave a final nod, then walked out towards the

I had the time for that…” Argrave adjusted

the sunburst with snake heads—his symbol. It was meant both as a sign

particular. But the crux of it… it was bitter resistance to his dying breath. He let it wash over him, and then followed after, his blood echoes leaving faint maroon trails

#####

the Bloodwoods was a long one, made more difficult by the still-disturbed roots. Along the way the roving bands of Kirel Qircassia’s shattered forces sometimes reared their heads, and Batbayar made short work of them with powerful spells. He was one

the trunks of the trees nearby. The trees looked like pincushions. Not all of the

an arrow in the tree… we take them to the dryads,” the myriarch explained. “There, they have a proper bow made for them in the dryad way.” He pointed to an

coat and spread out along the ground. They seemed utterly fascinated by this fog,

more, Batbayar took a deep breath and sighed, then walked in front of the four of them. “We’re going through the dryads’ path. Wear these blindfolds. I will escort you

white cloths without question, but Orion hesitated while Onychinusa didn’t take

necessary?” the ancient

can pass without guidance. And your eyes will be lost if you witness that within the mist.” His gaze

if he did want to keep his eyes, but then gave a solemn nod and put the blindfold on before anyone else. Argrave

ceremony for?” Anneliese tilted her head in

superiors… and the adult is taught to take charge of those who rely on you for sight and vision. Life in this forest hinges on discipline and loyalty, and so we take care to foster it from a young

blindfold, Batbayar explained, “Take them off only when I say explicitly to take them off. Not when I say, ‘we’re here,’ or anything else of the kind. Listen closely, follow my guidance… none of you are children, so simply don’t do anything childish. Nothing in there can

stood behind the four of them and gently shepherded them along. He held Anneliese’s arm, but even despite that Argrave was uneased. He felt his feet might hit a snag at any moment… but instead the path was smooth, and though

He felt like he was touching something… in fact, he was almost sure of it. His whole body was wreathed in what felt like spiderwebs. That notion gave him shivers as he questioned what might be