Jackal Among Snakes

After Dario seemed to vanish, Argrave looked to the Alchemist, hoping the man might have some insight on what had just happened. It seemed that Dario had overpowered the terrifying being, but Argrave needed explanation.

“He used something warped to disrupt my magic. Not just my magic—the ability that Hause bestowed upon me, all those years ago.” The Alchemist held his hand up and clenched it. “I observed him with [Minor Truesight]. The power within him is beyond its scope. Would that Anneliese were here, she might look upon him with the more thorough eyes bestowed by Yinther.”

“Do you think Gerechtigkeit is making his move?” Argrave looked up at him, despite the watching crowd. “Is Dario… someone deluded by him? Tricked?”

The Alchemist retrieved the vial of Gerechtigkeit’s essence extracted from Felipe’s corpse. “This did not react—neither upon seeing him, nor when he called upon whatever power he did. But he is beset by a foreign power, this much I can say for certain.” He looked back to the spot Dario had been standing. “It’s tearing him apart, whatever it is. He’s dying.”

“He started bleeding after he swiped at you,” Melanie reminded them. “Seems like he thinks what he’s doing is worth dying for. Also says a little about who might be standing behind him, if they’re fine allowing their power to whittle him down to dust.”

“I’ll admit…” the Alchemist looked to the senate hall. “I don’t think I can catch him. If he uses that power, I’m powerless before it.” He looked to Melanie. “Your mastery over space might falter, too. And our magic would have no effect. With that strange augmentation on his arms and legs, he would be faster and stronger than all of us. And the more he uses that power, the more he dies—we’d likely be left with a corpse at the end of it all.”

“But it seems he’s going to get in our way.” Argrave grabbed at his chin, frustrated. “He said that he has no wish to fight. There’s a big ‘yet’ that he left unspoken, I think. And I don’t want to fight him.”

Melanie nodded. “The tenor of that conversation was a bit odd. Seemed sympathetic, almost.”

“I’d agree. That’s what’s so damn bothersome about this whole thing.” He shook his head. “We don’t have much time until the senate meeting. Let’s not be late—won’t set a good precedent.”

#####

Anneliese watched as Veidimen longships glided atop the surface of the rippling waters of the eastern ocean. Slowly, they took their place at the docks to Blackgard. As they settled, there was a little unease in the dockworkers. They had grown used to Veidimen traders, yet now, true warships took their place in the city. Still, they were here as allies, not as enemies. And perhaps to prove this, Patriarch Dras was the first to step off the ships. He was followed by several hulking guards, wearing thoroughly enchanted armor. They’d wasted no time in integrating that magic into their people, it seemed.

Anneliese walked out to meet him. “Some years ago, the only reason you would have stepped off a longship to these shores was because you were their conqueror.”

a more foolish, more senseless time.” Dras dipped his head slightly. “I think your

into the topic at hand. “I thank you for coming.

seemed to employ shamanic magic to

city of the dwarves, their metal restricts spirits.” Anneliese crossed her arms. “We welcome you as guests, for now. But you’ve

Dras looked surprised. “By all

would dare protest at the patriarch’s adopted daughter

marker. She and the patriarch appeared just beside Onychinusa, who sat on a seaside cliff buried in blankets. Her head stirred when they arrived, but then looked back to her task

water

rock and desolate wintry steppes. Nothing grows here, really, and we have no way of defending it adequately. The nearest settlement is many miles away—few people live here.”

writhing tides. “I see… square ships. They’ve a sail, and oars… but I can’t see any

aids them, giving them favorable wind and alerting them of treacherous things lurking just beneath the water…

float. These are our enemies? The

by population and area. And now, they’ve the backing of two very powerful gods, one of whom commands a coalition of lesser deities.” Anneliese crossed her arms and looked at Dras. “This is where we’d like to build your fortress. If you look back, there’s a long ravine—it’s a safe, sheltered pathway we can use to route supplies. But I won’t deny that holding these people back will be

certainly seem difficult to board.” Dras’ mind already seemed to be planning his battles. “But these are men, yes? No different from those of Vasquer?

harbor. And when they encounter opposition, their Imperial Navy will come. Their warships dwarf your longships many times over. And they do not lack for arcane powers,

to the cliff’s edge. His white eyes looked sharp and intrigued. “Yet we have the advantage of defense. And this land… it’s rather like the shores of Veiden. Icy. Treacherous. Tremendous glaciers lie just beneath the surface of the water, threatening to gut ships that lack vision.” Dras traced the distant raging waters with his finger, then nodded. “Yes. We can defend here. It will take our ships some time to arrive if the maps I have of Berendar are accurate. But the Chu will never have

a part of me wonders if I have been missing

glory, but rather what is best for our people. This is what she wished.” Dras looked at her firmly. “So, I’ve set aside glory. And I do

Anneliese couldn’t keep some surprise from leaking into her

at a map is dull work, but it’ll help coordinate our movement. Even if the agreement to integrate Veiden into your parliament is not made now,

#####

Dario had merely presented the method and recipe to forge dwarven metal to the dwarves without ceremony, and then left. He did not wish to linger overlong, lest Argrave or

served leaving Mundi altogether. Argrave had proven himself a very persuasive person, and given the time, he would allow more to come into this place—likely Anneliese, with both the empathy bestowed by her heritage and the Truesight vested in her by Yinther,