Jackal Among Snakes

Anneliese and Onychinusa sat on the rocks of the mountain peak. The ancient elf stared at the snow elf.

“Your braid is pretty,” Onychinusa said matter-of-factly. “I tried to copy it, but I couldn’t.”

Anneliese smiled at the sincerity as her fingers brushed the half-crown braid keeping her hair back. She suggested, “The dryads could braid your hair. I know they always miss seeing you.”

“They put wood and stuff in there. Something about dryad wood is special. It makes it harder for the spirits to carry me from place to place.” Onychinusa shook her head, and then looked to where Orion and Argrave conversed with the ancient serpent Vasquer. “Why did they come here?”

“Argrave is going to ask Vasquer to watch the underground near this area. And he has some important questions, too.” Anneliese explained succinctly. “Threats come from below. And on that front… you said you did what we wanted?”

“I’ve been warding all of Vasquer against divinity,” Onychinusa nodded, then rocked back and forth atop her seat. “Blackgard has enough spirits guarding it that divinity cannot enter without a link to the area. If they’re already manifested, they could force their way through. Spirits can’t pass, too, so unwanted people can’t teleport inside the mountains, anymore. Only you, me, and Argrave can. If anyone else tries, either in or out… they end up a few miles underwater. Hopefully, they’ll drown.”

Anneliese smiled broadly. “That is exceptional, Onychinusa.”

Onychinusa seemed to take the praise well as she rocked quicker. “Elsewhere… I made some spirits act as detectors. They’ll roam about the land, and whenever they detect divinity, they’ll return with that knowledge.”

“The spirits can communicate?” Anneliese tilted her head. “Argrave never mentioned that, and I certainly have never read that.”

“…no.” Onychinusa shook her head slowly. “But I make the spirit store the location the divinity was spotted, and then I can teleport to that spot.”

Anneliese exhaled loudly. “Shamanic magic is a wondrous thing. But I suppose that only happened because you were the one using it, right?”

“Erlebnis made these spells, I think. Maybe what I’m doing now was supposed to be my purpose,” Onychinusa suggested. “The emissaries can’t use shamanic magic. Nothing from divine realms can. It would make sense”

“That may be the case,” Anneliese conceded, rising from her seat to come near Onychinusa. “We have had this talk many times before. All I hope is that you are happier and freer, now.”

Onychinusa’s

someday, you

looked disgusted. “No. I don’t like

like people? Why not?” Anneliese

their faces,” Onychinusa managed. “And they can talk.

different

it. I just don’t want to. Talking to people… makes my head hurt.” She looked up at Anneliese. “Not you, but others.

disappointed. Still, she looked off elsewhere and said, “Okay. That’s

had been taken off her shoulders, and settled back onto the uneven rocks of the mountain with a comfort

beside Onychinusa. “The cycle of judgment. More specifically… they hope to gain greater

#####

she took her hand off the wall, becoming more confident. Slowly, Georgina’s full figure was illuminated as she pressed

that it had been claimed by the Ebon Cult, this place’s beauty was amplified. In the vast, quarried cavern, streets of the purest white marble continued for as far as the eye could see. The buildings were massive works of architecture, some standing taller than the walls of Dirracha or Mateth. Magic lamps hung from walls and stood in the streets, but they had long ago dimmed and died. Instead, the whole of the place was kept illuminated by a network of ethereal blue lights

Durran, the glaive-wielding southern tribal, the manifestation of those lights was the only thing that preserved her life. But even despite the gift of power, she now returned to this place empty-handed. She set off walking through the streets,

more than metal crudely molded into vague faces, while others were elaborate recreations of demons or angels. And only a few had a mask that bore nothing on it at all. Theirs were merely

arrived at the foot of the palace. She stepped up its wide marble stairs, heading for the entrance. She could feel the power of the twisting blue lights above, pushing against her skin as a constant force. She walked through the arched doorway, heading

outside in a pattern somewhat like a snowflake. A woman in a purple robe stood in front of the door, her hands placed before her. She had a mask,

“I’ve

be pleased,” the woman

prefers to have you call him father,

cannot get everything he wants,” Mial answered. “Rise. Tell me of your

rose, coming to stand beside Mial. The two of them took a turn, walking deeper

apart with a frustrated sadness. “I had him. He was mine. And then…” she sighed, shaking her head. “Madness. Madness and unpredictability.

he never expected you to obtain the king,

even if he’d never expect to actually get it. So I tried. What he’s doing