Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave and Anneliese crouched near a redwood tree. Both had heavy, tired eyes, but upon looking at the other in the eye they were renewed with flame. They exchanged a nod of tacit understanding, and then Argrave rose up and walked ahead alone.

Though his steps were heavy and he took them slowly in anticipation for what was to come... nothing did. He walked into a relatively open clearing between many redwood trees, where nothing could be seen for miles in any direction. Five steps... ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, and thirty.

The moment that Argrave lost count, all the ground in a circle around him exploded upwards. Thin, spindly roots sought him out like leeches in water, aiming for all of him at once. Artur’s enchantments whirred to life, protecting him ably for a few seconds before they failed. Argrave prepared no spells. He accepted the seizure without offering resistance. Before long he was totally bound, and he felt the faintest branches of roots digging into the skin on his arms and legs. His hands in particular were fully pierced, allowing no movement.

The giant elven god Merata stepped out from one of the redwoods, reforming the thing in wake of his advance. His long blonde hair that scraped the ground was marred by burns, and cut in half a thousand places to make it uneven and unkempt... more so than it was, at least. After him came Gunlik, crouching down and scouting out the place while keeping his flaming arrow pointed at Argrave. Beyond Argrave saw more figures, beaten and battered.

“We’ve been betrayed before. Fooled before,” Merata began, leaning on his crook as he walked. “How you came to us speaks well of your intentions. What happened days prior makes all of us care less.”

“I don’t think we should talk. Tread alone, trust only ourselves,” Gunlik said, pulling his bowstring of flame back further.

“We trusted Chiteng, and now our father lies on death’s door,” Merata reminded him, and Gunlik’s grip slackened on his bow somewhat. He walked to Argrave slowly, looking down at him. “Do you know what happened, little kingling?”

“Chiteng saw Erlebnis’ Blessing of Supersession within my person with the omniscience granted to him in his sections of your realm. With this knowledge, he contacted Erlebnis on his own. From there... I don’t think I need to go on,” Argrave lifted his head up.

“So you are Erlebnis’ pawn,” Merata fell to the ground, sitting. The dirt displaced by this action caught in Argrave’s throat, and he coughed.

“I sought him out for strength,” Argrave explained, voice hoarse from the dirt. “Traded knowledge for knowledge. But I was never his. He tried to make it otherwise, and I played along... but given how the forest changed, I think you know my true allegiance.”

Merata nodded. “I wonder if you will say the same thing when your insides are bored out by roots for several days.”

The elven god demonstrated this, sending his roots all the deeper into Argrave’s person. He hissed in pain, but gradually started to laugh as he embraced it. He laughed until his throat was sealed shut by a strangling root. Only after a few seconds did the pressure relent.

“...you could go that route,” Argrave finally managed, voice as deep and hoarse as Galamon’s after the strangling. “But the truth won’t change.”

Merata slammed his crook into the ground behind him and leaned back on it, sighing. Slowly, the roots around Argrave relented, giving him freedom. Argrave fell to the ground expecting pain to greet him, but when he impacted he felt... perfectly whole, as a matter of fact. He looked at his hands and saw nothing.

“He bears nothing?” Gunlik asked Merata.

further stigma from another god,” Merata shook his head. “I examined your insides, little kingling. Do not take it personally. I talked to the dryads, spreading throughout this land even now. I heard what they said... of you, of your endeavors. But given... your duplicitous nature, I needed surety

Indeed, all of him was fine, and that

did not learn from Sarikiz’s betrayal,” Merata

gathered his pitch, preparing himself. “The dryads helped me estrange Kirel Qircassia from Erlebnis, but that bond might not be fully severed. We have a moment of pause as Erlebnis reassesses the situation. Victory is

Merata shook his

bury the hatchet

Gunlik finally managed,

Kirel Qircassia, forcing her to close the breach,” Argrave explained. “Now... if you go to her open-handed, and allow her victory... it closes this chapter, and might earn us victory. Kirel governs land and sky-- she would love nothing more than to pillage his realm, bring all of the centaurs with her on this. I cannot do as I intended before, but you can. Only

hand to the people our elves have been fighting for centuries, and--” Gunlik

Ghan walk up, placing his hand on the redwood for support. As Anneliese had described, he had a gnarly cut

despite the death that lingered about him. “Bring him, and his queen. Despite his initial dishonesty, he was faithful. We must discuss how this ends... and I believe he’s earned some say

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strained as she tapped her foot against the ground anxiously. “Argrave deserves some say in

and her gaze slowly went from hopeful to one of anxiety. Gradually, another myriarch said quietly, “He won’t be coming, Acting Supreme Myriarch. This

there some new development?” she asked hopefully, though outwardly her body braced as though preparing to flee. Behind, some more elven

before a trial,” Batbayar explained. “The other myriarchs have reviewed my

something, but by the time she pulled it out an arrow already pierced her wrist. She cried out in pain, and another warrior already stepped up to pull the thing from her hand. It was a red, flat stone of

don’t you see? Do you think we truly could have escaped from those monstrosities if not for my intervention? It’s over! The battle was over to begin with! What are we before gods?! Don’t throw the lives of everyone to

because of your betrayal,” Batbayar said in judgment, and then pulled taut a wire. “You have admitted guilt, Altan. Does everyone here agree?”

myriarchs gave nods of confirmation. Batbayar nodded, and then

is to

she begged, even

army will still

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be right,” Onychinusa said desperately. “This is a good

to how he will proceed.

needed me to do it,” she said, her voice choked. “He needed me to do what he could not. It was necessary. The Lord cannot

“Did you have something

Finally, she nodded. “I did it. I did what the Lord could not. That’s... that’s what was needed of me. That was my purpose. It always has been. That’s why... that’s why you sent me there, had me do those things...