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,”

#####

alliance with the master of the wyverns. After the show with

the city, largely to avoid 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 still thought him some sort of mastermind who had predicted that

Specifically, it was a lake house. Argrave had some memories of it, but none

different man than as you knew him. And I saw him change week by week, until he simply

I might call us a family. For all her troubles, my mother was never

made their way to the lake 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

the lake house, stopping at 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 side of the lake house. Argrave looked within through the iron and glass windows. The place looked normal, even inviting. It compelled Argrave to think of something different.

time. Argrave himself had waged war to claim a throne. Gerechtigkeit always felt impersonal, detached… but he had ruined so many lives long before his descent. The player never got insight into the calamity’s mind. Was it sick, twisted, depraved, like some god of murder? Or was it something else entirely? Something like the Alchemist—cold and

the still lake. Eventually,

inscribed that. I thought… I thought it would be best if they were remembered like that.” He knelt in awkward

dug their graves. Argrave saw a rotting hand first, covered in dirt, and worked to clear away the rest

two bodies, he said in anger

brittle-looking skeleton with scraps of meat hanging on. Levin, however, had not decayed so thoroughly. He was still as much flesh as

at the same time, but…” Argrave looked between the revealed Felipe, and the partially buried Levin,

hair was graying despite being an

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

body?”

up. “Yes,” he nodded

ought to leave, Your Majesty,”

outside the grave. “Is the stuff

#####

sun faded behind the mountains. Blackgard’s night came earlier, shielded as it