Jackal Among Snakes

Near a hundred flying beasts in the sky darkened the earth of Vasquer with their wide shadows in the early dawn. Just as Argrave’s royal procession with his army had been impossible to avoid noticing, so too was the so-called King of the Scorched Sand’s. The wyverns flew over the vast kingdom, trivializing the size of the land of green summer that was enduring the beginnings of the bitter struggle against Gerechtigkeit.

Their wyverns had been armored in southron elf illusion magic, and so their fleet of wyverns seemed to be uncountable. At once, rumors spread of the new faction in Vasquer. Some reported that one thousand wyverns had flown past the Lionsun Castle. The number was seldom kept within reason, and though it spread fear, it spread hope in equal measure—hope that their king would seek a peaceful alliance, as he had promised.

In time, they passed over Elbraille and then Jast, finally reaching Blackgard itself. The wyverns took their place atop the mountaintops, adorning the black mountains around the city as jewels might adorn a crown. The army waited here, returned from their journey into the Low Way of the Rose. The soldiers were briefly distracted from their drilling by these new arrivals. Indeed, all took note of the return of their king, his new ally in tow.

In even only the short time gone, the burgeoning city of Blackgard had expanded further yet. Refugees were not abated by the efforts of the nobles—instead, they seemed to be all the greater as the undead attacks continued, and as rumors of lesser gods appearing spread throughout the land. And in turn, the fields sprouted with crops, rudimentary stone buildings sprouted up where makeshift tents had once been, and the new docks overlooking the ocean welcomed the arrival of true trade ships.

Argrave and the rest of his party alighted near the parliamentary hall, and moved there already while discussing things urgently.

“So—we go in there, act like we’re negotiating, and then spread word of an alliance with the Burnt Desert sealed by marriage,” Argrave summarized as they walked.

“I have laid the groundwork. From here, I’ll requisition sufficient goods to begin trading with the Burnt Desert,” Elenore agreed, keeping up with Argrave’s brisk pace.

“Alright. Durran—I assigned Melanie to get some dwarven constructs from the abandoned dwarven cities beneath the ground. When she returns, you have a very difficult duty.” He gestured toward the man. “You’re going to slay any hostile lesser gods, and capture their spirits in these devices.”

“You’re going to make me a Godslayer?” Durran touched his chest. “Listen to yourself. Are you serious? Fighting Vessels is a step away from fighting gods. Didn’t you say they were one hundred feet tall?”

“I’m very serious. But note that I said lesser gods,” Argrave said, tempering his expectations. “Onychinusa will help me identify suitable targets. I’ll prepare what’s necessary for a brutal slaughter, and then you’ll enact it. I’d like it if you stuck to the plans Anneliese and I devise, but I trust you to work independently. The most important thing is gathering spirits. I will need an abundance to deal with Mozzahr. The imperial spells made by Balzat are costly.”

“Who’s Onychinusa?” Durran narrowed his eyes, lost.

“I’ll tell you all that once we get inside.” He looked behind him, then beckoned Orion forth. The man came. “I want you to get everything prepared for the journey to Felipe’s grave. We should bring the body here, for ease of access,” he said, trying to hide the grimness on his tone. Valeria, fortunately, had been moved to a wing in the parliamentary hall in Blackgard a long time ago so that Orion might visit her and check on her more often. He would not need to mention retrieving her.

“At once, Your Majesty,” Orion pounded his chest.

“Alright. And once all this is set in motion…” he looked at Elenore. “We can talk about our plans for Mozzahr. And I hope you can make sense of the notion of visiting him.”

hope so,”

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general public, it also marked an alliance with the master of the wyverns. After the show with the giant beasts, it received

spooking people. The duke and duchess of Dirracha—Hegazar and Vera—were at the Dragon Palace, but he didn’t feel it best to involve them unduly. And a large part of that was because they

the place that Orion had buried his father was secluded. Specifically, it was a lake house. Argrave had some memories of it, but none of them were exceptional. Orion, however, filled in the

family,” Orion explained. “When my mother’s mind failed after my birth… she was taken here, that she might have peace, quiet, and diligent care. Father visited very frequently, checking on her, despairing… he was a different man than as you

“Despite all that, this was the only place I might call us a family. For all her troubles, my mother was

house. It was a tall and imposing mansion, but made of wood and quaintly decorated. It was far removed from the gaudy splendor that was the Dragon Palace. It had docks that held simple rowing boats. There were beautiful trees all along the lake, shielding it from sight at a distance, but up

the steps. He looked at the cold iron door handles for a moment as though he wished to enter, and then turned away. “There are some islands

the iron and glass windows. The place looked normal, even inviting. It compelled Argrave to think of something

many lives long before his

they made it to the docks of the lake house. Orion solemnly rowed them across, disturbing the still lake. Eventually, they came upon an island

that. I thought… I thought it would be best if they were remembered like that.” He knelt in awkward silence for a few moments, then said, “I suppose

grave was short work despite how deep Orion had dug their graves. Argrave saw a rotting hand first, covered in dirt, and worked

back and looked between the two bodies, he

Felipe’s body was only a fragile, brittle-looking skeleton with scraps of meat hanging on. Levin, however, had not decayed so thoroughly. He was still as much flesh as he was bone. Argrave was no expert on decomposition, but he knew deeply

but…” Argrave looked between the revealed Felipe, and

graying despite being an A-rank spellcaster,” Anneliese mused from outside

this, but Argrave put the pieces together—A-rank spellcasters lived centuries beyond normal people, naturally. Perhaps something was making Felipe decay faster. That boded well for Gerechtigkeit still existing within him in some manner. But as Argrave considered the Alchemist had claimed Gerechtigkeit had the same sort of trace energy Argrave did… it brought him

it his body?” Galamon interrupted

and up. “Yes,” he

we waste time. We ought

fretting.” He looked outside the grave. “Is the stuff to carry him ready? We still have the journey back, and the

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to Blackgard before the last light of the sun faded behind the mountains. Blackgard’s night came earlier, shielded as it was, but the mountains kept the heat contained within, ensuring a pleasant temperature