Jackal Among Snakes

Durran took a longer time to return than Argrave had anticipated—and by extension, Elenore was delayed, too. In truth, he was a little surprised to see her get emotional about Durran. He’d shared that with Anneliese, and she guessed that her emotions had been building for a long time: decades, even. His sister seemed to do everything practically; she even chose the time to get emotional practically.

When the pair did return, it was in brighter spirits than they had left. Whatever talk they’d shared, they were not at all like they’d found out one of them might die.

“We return to a feast. Forgot about this,” Durran mused, sitting back down at the table before his chicken. “It’s cold.”

“Should be refreshing after that heat,” Elenore sat down beside him.

Argrave looked between both of them, then sat down as well. “Forget the meal. I think you ought to get into what the Alchemist gave you, Durran.”

Durran seemed to debate whether or not to take a bite of cold chicken dangling from his fork, and then set it down. “He changed my body, my insides. You might say he replaced them, then kept my real parts on hold until the time comes for me to get them back. I’m not really sure how to…”

Argrave leaned back, nodding. “Pseudo S-rank.”

Durran looked up at him. “What’s that?”

“He made you S-rank, technically. But the magic… the magic circuitry, you might call it, isn’t yours. You can recover magic fine, but it won’t grow, won’t evolve, and you can’t do finer manipulation. You don’t have an A-rank ascension, even.” Argrave crossed his arms. “You can’t really min-max it, can’t finetune it. But… yeah, you’re S-rank. A generic, non-descript S-rank. You’re driving a rented vehicle.”

“Hell, who cares?” Durran shrugged. “I’ve got quantity enough to do nearly everything I want. Fire, lightning, necromancy—you name it, I’ll do it, my friend. What you perceive right now with those special A-rank eyes of yours is not even a quarter of my max capacity. And when all of this is said and done, I give these parts back, get my old magic back, and tackle it again with experience. But I’ll tell you…” Durran held out his hand, clenching it into a fist. “I can feel Garm’s hand in everything I do, Argrave. Feels like I’m not doing anything new, just… relearning a skill I put down for a while.”

“Well, that’s how it is when you meld souls with another.” Argrave placed his hands on the table. “Listen. I’ve been thinking about your predicament. Frankly, this isn’t something I can wave my hand and cure. Your prospects are thin, Durran. Even finding a lead involves doing dangerous nonsense that was rather far removed from what I had planned. And we’re talking about a thin lead, not a certain one.”

Durran focused on Argrave. “I’ll do my part. More than my part, even. Don’t forget… you’re a little behind me, now, even if you’ve managed to get those blood echoes you kept bragging about.” He pointed at Argrave. “Don’t think I haven’t seen your little bloody shadows dancing around you. Looks smooth, I’ll give you that, but flashiness won’t matter against power.”

Argrave smiled. “Well… I wonder. I can requite all I receive.”

Argrave and Anneliese both had learned the imperial spells left behind by Emperor Balzat. Argrave had used [Requite] to defeat the emissaries, though had expended all of his spirits in the process. But they had far more than that spell alone in their arsenal, now—[Bulwark], [Inspirit], and [Edify] added extreme versatility to their shamanic magic that surpassed most spells, period. Of the imperial spells, only [Subjugate] eluded their mastery, and this was because it was an S-rank spell.

“If the two of you can stop posturing, we have something I think would be good to talk about now,” Elenore cut in. “There’s an extremely brutish man filled with lust knocking at the gates of the Lionsun Castle… and as such, we must deign to forge an alliance with him, vapid though he might be. Woe to the unlucky soul who has to seal this alliance.”

Durran took a bite of chicken, smiling quietly at her banter. “Yeah. This King of the Scorched Sands, he’s no good. But for the low price of one tender-hearted, empty-minded princess, it might be his wyverns become guardians of Vasquer rather than its pillagers. And it might be, long-term, they’re integrated with the kingdom wholly.”

What do you think?” Elenore

his fork. “Yeah. Does the big brother bless

hide his surprise. “Don’t have any complaints. I’ll spare you the teasing, seeing as the two of you have that covered. But you’re a valuable piece of labor, Elenore. Will

on my plate,” she shrugged. “It’ll be fine. Druidic magic has made things much easier for

at her, baffled how she could just accept the idea of managing essentially the entire continent with a shrug and

interrupted. “Margrave Parbon will cooperate and escalate the

that, seeing as Durran was diagnosed with delayed

#####

want me to support the necessity of

sitting across from

the margrave cautioned. “I will answer whatever it is

furrowed his brows. “Alright. That’s fine, I suppose. Honesty and integrity are good things to foster in the parliament.” He leaned in closer. “So, that Stonepetal Sentinel—he’s

upset we’re keeping him from leaving. But… yes, we kept

Argrave rose to his feet. “But why

#####

dislodging strands of his dark hair. He brushed them from out of his view, and then looked at the margrave’s guard. They remained ever vigilant. He had come here to ask

he’d long ago been disarmed. The knight studied him, and then the room. Familiarity dawned on Ossian, strangely enough, but then the man moved aside. The next two to come were both

to his

met, but he’d put on some mass in the time since they’d last spoken. His face was still gaunt and sharp, but he filled out the duster he wore far better than he had in the past. That, coupled with a breastplate bearing a symbol of a sun

you. A Master Sentinel, relegated to messenger work. That was

as the man walked into the room, followed by that elven woman Anneliese and a few people Ossian didn’t recognize. As he claimed, Argrave had burned through the Low Way like no other. He’d gotten many Sentinels killed, and even a Master Sentinel—though,

been waiting at. “Margrave Reinhardt tells me you’re looking into reclaiming the Low Way of the Rose fully—you just need some

face, dispelling his surprise. “Well… yeah, Argrave. With the vampires

the big armored knight interrupted. Ossian was remembering his name—Galamon. “Or speak to him not

this man was king affected him more than he thought it would,

crossed his legs. “There’s been a change in leadership. Fact is… I think I can help the

in shock. “After… what we did to you? That’s surprising. Your Majesty,” he quickly

I’m also something of a… shall we say, a talent scout?” Argrave leaned in. “Once

Ossian narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure