Jackal Among Snakes

Elenore walked in a room in the parliamentary hall with Orion, Galamon, Melanie, and Durran walking along with her. She saw Hause, sitting on a couch cordially alongside Anneliese. After taking a moment to gather herself, she walked to sit across from the woman.

“Hello,” Elenore greeted. “My brother’s taken me to be his personal messenger. And he tells me you might have very important information.”

“Certainly,” Hause greeted. “I have been taking the time to acquaint myself with Anneliese. She has been speaking of your plans for the future. And hearing of your aims, well…” she ran her hand through her hair. “Perhaps it was not a mistake, what I did. Perhaps the hope I saw did not end with tragedy, and this stories continue onward.”

“Many people died because of what you did,” Durran said simply, walking to the wall as everyone else sat. “Because you meddled with people, an entire continent lost its lives. And it was your own power. You don’t have an excuse.”

Elenore looked at him sharply as she slowly sat. “Durran. This is not the time.”

“It may be meager defense, but what I see is potential,” Hause said in response. “Meaning… even if my hand had not unleashed it, the end result may have been the same. I sought to contain Raven, guide him. Not… not that.” She looked down at the ground. “Raven… does he still refuse to visit?”

“So far as I know,” Elenore said.

“Well… he has a nobler aim, now. All of you do,” she lifted her head. “I can tell you what you might become, all of you. Perhaps it will give you direction. Perhaps it will tell you nothing at all. But nevertheless, I can tell you.”

“Please,” Elenore gestured. “Argrave insists.”

“Then perhaps we should start with him,” Hause inclined her head. “Please know… that I speak honestly, and fairly, and do not hold my words against me.” She looked about, and everyone gave affirming nods—even Durran, who gave his begrudgingly. “Then… Argrave… he exudes death. It is pivotal to his being.”

The party grew silent. Melanie spoke up first, questioning, “Well, uhh… have you seen that before? Got a frame of reference? A famous slaughterer, perhaps?”

“I know what it means,” Hause nodded. “It speaks, largely, of what he is capable of. If he believed it necessary, he could deal death without hesitation. He could make choices that most other people would balk at. This does not make him evil, nor good. Death is a natural part of life. People with incredibly strong will often exude death.”

“Did Raven?” Elenore asked quietly.

“Yes, but not to the extent Argrave did,” Hause shook her head. “It is not a negative thing. I think it is a testament to his sheer tenacity. It is your duty to guide and make sure that tenacity does not express itself in detrimental ways, by my belief. As for his other potential, what I believe you look for more closely… his innate potential is judgment.”

“So he’s judgmental? That fits,” Durran laughed.

good, or bad?” Elenore asked. “If you were to unlock that potential, what might

I changed him, he became as he is. His bizarre alchemical body, his

are they

given how mature this flower is, perhaps it is too late for me to warn you of that. As for other matters, your body is rich soil for a garden. You have latent natural powers of growth. You rather remind me of Sonia. She is an architect of growth. She made the grandest pavilions in all the world, where beautiful

the foul flesh beneath can be reborn twice as awful. The other… it speaks of wrapping yourself in the power

against the wall and

My followers are an example of this—I can demonstrate

Galamon added gruffly. “He judged us long

much of what you are. The faithful hound spurs your step. Your potential… it was marked by blood, claimed by it and changed irreversibly. Yet now that pestilence has been cut apart, and I see only the scars it left. Even still, this experience serves to strengthen the hound that you are.” She turned her head to Orion. “And you, golden-armored knight, denied your potential. Broke it. It is a stained-glass window with

looked away. “But there is a lesson in

last two?” Melanie

And this emptiness is a great drive forward, giving you a relentless push toward finding something

“Thought

at Melanie intently. “You can become a chameleon—an actor without peer. But I do not speak merely of speaking, talking, articulating, or moving… you possess the potential to fool even

few times, taking that in. “Not very fond of the stage.

Hause shrugged. “And you, Anneliese. I see in

is eternity?” Anneliese asked

to know how it applies here. Well… I have seen eternity on many people. Inventors whose inventions are used even today. Spellcasters who changed the realm of magic forevermore. Or people who left an indelible mark on

me more curious,” Anneliese crossed her legs and pondered that. “So, then, you have seen all of us. And what of enacting your other power?

He cannot be called fully mortal, anymore. I am on the wake of the greatest disaster my abilities have ever caused. I need to reflect on this. And even

that is fine,” Elenore nodded. “I imagine you’ve given all of us much to think about, in turn. And Anneliese—Argrave needs you for that

rose, drawn from her distractions. “You’re right.

#####

gone,” Mial

Argrave, looking around the room. They were deeper in the heart of the dwarven cities underground, and the now-abandoned city was quite terrifying. Still, Mial had led them back to the old dwarven senate house, and eventually to a

“I… I know how this looks. But I swear to you, Mozzahr did keep his research here, all of his notes here. I helped him write most of it. He would

cast Anneliese a look, but she gave no indication she thought Mial was

babbled, at a loss. “You helped him, right? You can recreate

then looked back, chains jingling. “Given this failing, perhaps it’s only natural I help. But I’m only mortal. My father might’ve remembered it all perfectly,