Jackal Among Snakes

Mial, High Priestess of the Ebon Cult, stepped away from her position beside the other four top people at the Ebon Cult and went to kneel beside her father’s palanquin. She pulled back the curtain on the side, out of view from their front-facing position, and then listened to orders relayed—orders that reached no one’s ears beside Mial, not even Orion’s or the Alchemist’s.

As they talked, Argrave looked around at the horde of purple-masked people around them. He spotted elven ears, dwarven physiques… even some of the more reclusive races persisted in their number—southron elves or the subterranean humans, for instance. The majority of them were combatants.

Elenore’s voice entered his mind, telling him, “Anneliese says that there are users of shamanic magic in the crowd. Mozzahr himself seems to have the most spirits, however.”

Argrave gave a curt reply, too on-edge to engage further. Finally, Mial looked at them, clearing her throat to indicate her intent to speak.

“The Castellan asks if you have ever wondered what occurs in the event Gerechtigkeit succeeds,” Mial said, her voice ringing out with a clear echo in this vast cavern.

Argrave narrowed his eyes. Mozzahr had spoken through another like this in the past, but that had been because he was injured. His injury was obvious in Heroes of Berendar, visible even in the silhouette behind the curtain. Argrave could see no such injury. Mozzahr had not fought Sataistador, and consequently sustained no injuries. In simple terms there was no good reason for him to speak via proxy. No reason except haughtiness.

Argrave looked at Durran and briefly questioned speaking through him just as Mozzahr did his daughter, but thought it might be tedious and abandoned the idea at once. Besides, rising to provocation would close off their options.

“Well, I imagine the cycle of judgment ends. And I came here to discuss that ending, if on a different possible manner than seeing it through to completion,” Argrave opened diplomatically.

“Gerechtigkeit is described as two things; as a man, and as a calamity. But there is truth in both,” Mial carried on as though Argrave had not even spoken. “He is an intelligent being, capable of reason. And just as Mozzahr commands the Emptiness, Gerechtigkeit commands his calamity. It is formless malignance, capable of adapting to whatever its owner needs to fill his purpose.”

“You speak from ignorance.” The Alchemist stepped forward, his footfalls heavy enough to shake the square. “There is no reason in Gerechtigkeit.”

“Then how, pray tell, did he know to corrupt Argrave’s father? How have his methods continued to adapt, and to grow, if he cannot reason?” Mial flattened out a crease on her robes as she kneeled there.

“The contention is that he cannot be reasoned with,” Anneliese smoothly interjected. “And that is indisputable.”

“Fair enough. Let us not get lost in semantics.” Mial raised her hands in surrender.

Argrave thought she was going to speak again, and so quickly interjected, “Speaking of my father and his corruption—that was the reason Georgina was trying to kidnap him, right?” He raised his finger and pointed. “Well, we started the job that you wanted. And finished it, too. And I think that’s because we’re on the same path. Namely, you’re not content to let this cycle go another cycle.”

consulted with her father once more. She looked back

so. But Felipe died—Georgina was certain

long after death,” the Alchemist cut in. “And it decays what it touches rapidly,

a fair deal from Felipe’s corpse.” Argrave held his arms out and stepped forward. “But you’ve been doing independent research. And it benefits us

He didn’t trust Mozzahr overmuch, but he did trust the man’s capabilities. If he had learned something, getting him to disclose that information could be invaluable later down the line. But his—and the Alchemist’s, to give credit where it

back. “Gerechtigkeit has spoken thrice before in history. This information was very difficult to find, and even more difficult to ensure accuracy. History is written by the victors, after all. But we are near one hundred

blinked. Mozzahr had been quite busy, it seemed, if he’d discovered that

upon his defeat in one cycle, his voice roared across

quote well. “I know it, and the general gist

words heard around the world… but they speak of his claims about ‘time and other thieves.’ The third is

to that. But lore, all of that—that isn’t what I need.

his hand in affirmation

insight on where Gerechtigkeit comes from,” Mial said

surprise. That sort of information, if genuine, would be an invaluable lead for the

us?” Anneliese pushed calmly, keeping her head while Argrave nearly

location of his descent,” Mial disclosed hesitantly, casting glances at her father to be sure she did not err by telling so much. “This is why heading to the surface is a non-negotiable issue—something you seem to be aware of, considering

apologize for caution, but he elected to sidestep that issue altogether. “Where do you think

for these people to know. As it

he had told perhaps three people this fact—Elenore, Anneliese, and the Alchemist. None would’ve leaked

Argrave posited, holding his arms out. “We both can benefit

but to illustrate a point. Mozzahr, the Castellan of the Empty and Leader of the Ebon Cult, is Gerechtigkeit’s better in

saying quickly, “That’s

yours will be welcomed. They will not be harmed or face any imposition so long as they accept the Castellan of the Empty as their god, and endeavor to place him in Gerechtigkeit’s

despite Mial’s coercion. Though things were

Elenore to break the chains that bind. But even still, they’d have to permit the Ebon Cult to come to the surface, and allow them