Jackal Among Snakes

Even though the bronze golem serving Erlebnis called upon the Blessing of Supersession and alerted all emissaries in the area, Argrave did not feel worried about this battle. He was more worried that someone—namely, Mozzahr, or even Erlebnis himself—would come across them than anything else. That hung above like the blade of a guillotine.

Their assault of the Lodestar was an efficient and well-planned process. The Alchemist, armed with the spell [Requite], countered the bronze golem as it attempted to cast spells. He had the fastest casting speed, and frankly, Argrave didn’t want to use so much of the spirits Durran had painstakingly collected. Let the Alchemist call upon his personal supply. Wind, water, or fire—all of it was rebounded back into the construct, chipping away at the golem’s body surface. It was a sturdy thing, and so they were not afraid of damaging it.

Meanwhile, Durran, Argrave, and Anneliese, standing on the roof, waited for opportunity for precise attacks. It was imperative that they not damage its head, as the Alchemist claimed that was where the core of its power rested. They targeted the rotating orbs of rings comprising its joints, wearing away at those.

Orion, meanwhile, locked down its movement. Physically, he was about its equal in strength—he stood near its feet, contesting it physically whenever it attempted to make a move. He was caught in the crossfire one too many times, but never seemed to complain, let alone notice it.

Melanie was their lookout. Argrave had instructed his Brumesingers to stay with her, utilizing their mist enhanced by the dryad’s mysterious magic. Blindness, magic dampening, and all other foul maladies inflicted the living beings that walked within their mist—emissaries included. Fortunately, Melanie had been immunized with a blessing from a dryad just as all other members of this party.

She roamed the alleys of the City Annals, shielded by the brume as she killed unsuspecting emissaries attempting to support the Lodestar. Raccomen’s blessing allowing her to travel through space was invaluable, as it could completely bypass wards and get her out of harm’s way for any spells. Even without magic—or her sword, for that matter—she proved more than equal to the task. Every second she earned her place in their party even despite her self-doubt.

But Melanie was not infallible—emissaries started to make their way through, targeting all of them with precise magic. They were being surrounded body by body, just as they surrounded the Lodestar, and the circle tightened as they waited out the five minutes. And even amidst all of that, it was abundantly clear that Mozzahr was coming.

Then, like a nozzle turned on a faucet, the five minutes granted by the Blessing of Supersession ran out, and the Lodestar was left with nothing. Argrave perceived the change and shouted, “Hit hard! He’s vulnerable!”

But Argrave didn’t need to speak—the Alchemist stepped forward, spear in hand, and cut right through the Lodestar’s limb. Its metal groaned as it collapsed to the ground, then lunged out at the Alchemist like a beast. He stepped on its huge bronze hand, then plunged the spear into its elbow, dismembering one of its arms.

The Alchemist leaned forth on his spear and jammed his fingers beneath the head of the fallen Lodestar. He pulled, pulled, and pulled upon its head, keeping its body still with his foot. Then, with a mighty creak, it ripped free of the place. The bronze body sagged to the ground, lifeless, yet the head still droned on, reporting its actions.

“Bloody hell!” Durran shouted, jumping off the roof of the building as several spells headed his way. It slammed into the building he’d been standing on, and broken books scattered everywhere. The magic within them dissipated upward, heading for the red sky above. The man collapsed on the ground, grunting painfully. But he was alive—and that was more than enough.

Argrave looked back as emissaries swarmed their position. He realized that Melanie’s good work was nearing its limit, and decided to head down to the Alchemist before he met Durran’s fate. Everyone else had similar ideas. As they came to the Alchemist standing before the body of the Lodestar, he subsumed its head inside himself.

his eyes, his ears, as his

shouted, hoping that this wasn’t an

like a swarm of hyenas. Melanie persisted alone for a time, but even she was forced to come back and rejoin the pack. With [Requite], they could stem the tide of emissaries… but the emissaries seemed to be well familiar with Argrave’s tactic, now. They did not seek to bombard with relentless power as they had in the Bloodwoods—now, rather, they were like biting wolves, lashing out

Alchemist said, his voice strained and quiet. “The Lodestar’s power

of bone and reached out to them, grasping their heads, and then he cast [Worldstrider]. The world

a distant building in the city, but as Argrave looked around, he saw the scene of

scene was eerily

as Durran walked about celebrating. “By the gods,

feel the Lodestar’s

protested, then shook her head, breathing heavy.

was a tense fight. But you made the right call,” he pointed at the Alchemist. “That weird elf never found us

we fight that Lodestar because it was prudent.” The Alchemist looked at the scene. “Erlebnis has vast hoards of knowledge, true. But

up to him. “Where does this come

as I use it,” the Alchemist said simply, looking down at Argrave. “But if we had gone to another Annal, far from Mozzahr,

at the site of their fight. Mozzahr had arrived close, now, and chaos was reigniting as the swarm

know that we are Erlebnis’ enemies, now, the same as he is,” the Alchemist continued. “You claim he’s intelligent—and if he is intelligent, he’ll ask the emissaries where we are.” He

and huffed in disbelief. “Melanie’s

as powerful as him might break in.” His eyes wandered to where Mozzahr was likely waiting. As if in ominous prediction, the site was

to steal something from Erlebnis’ vault—that person was Oril Valar, the vampire that Argrave had sold down the river at the very beginning of his time here. By betraying him to Erlebnis, Argrave had earned the Blessing of Supersession, an invaluable power that had

more there. Erlebnis didn’t deal in knowledge alone—oftentimes he needed wealth or items to entice people to give him what he wanted. The vault was built to

if that greed wasn’t flaring,

said. “They are tools meant to sway kings, queens, emperors, and even gods. And nothing would please me more than