Jackal Among Snakes

Traugott watched Argrave and his companions walk over the broken husk of this realm from a distance. He had to admit—he wasn’t expecting such a display of potency from Castro. As it turned out, a cornered rat was much as likely to fight twice as hard as it was to make a mistake. He’d spread a net of spirits outside this strange pocket realm to block their flight, but it was all turning to naught.

He lamented that he’d not had the time to study this realm in greater detail, after both Argrave’s severance of the loop and Castro’s levelling of the city. They preached of preservation, but they had put an end to an invaluable heritage in one fell swoop. He hoped to claim Sophia, but Argrave’s desperate thrashing had thoroughly trounced that idea. And moreover… it had put an end to another mysterious variable. The one called Norman, father of Sophia.

“Still… not all is lost,” Traugott whispered, laying his hand upon the corpse. He looked at the black ring in his hand. It stored Norman’s soul. It was no undying soul, but even still, Traugott was certain simply by the strange power still coursing through it that it would have something to say when he pried it open. What remained of King Norman would experience only agony until Traugott extracted the answers he sought.

There is a reason Norman was so freakishly powerful. And lurking in that reason is why Gerechtigkeit’s malignance led back to Sophia. Traugott thumbed the ring, smiling. Despite everything, he would get the answers he sought. Let Argrave enjoy his prize.

#####

Argrave walked along with Anneliese, supporting Sophia through the carnage left in Castro’s wake. The howling portal into the Shadowlands was vacant after Castro’s final act. It seemed that things died not only on this side, but in that abyssal plane as well. There were neither gods nor masters in the place called the Shadowlands, but Argrave did wonder if they had provoked something. It wouldn’t be the first time.

As they advanced near the end of their long journey through Sandelabara, a metal arm burst free of rubble, swiping at Argrave. He stepped away by instinct, then readied himself to fight. As rubble fell away from the golem, he saw that it only had one arm remaining. He expected mindless resistance as it was an automaton, but instead its arm settled limply. Its core was exposed, where white energy slowly seeped out. Argrave swore he saw an eye peer at him from within that core. He looked around to be sure there was no danger, and then dared a question.

“You said we were damned and doomed. That was you, wasn’t it?” Argrave stared at the white eye. He didn’t know whether or not to expect an answer.

Seconds passed with no response. Argrave was prepared to move on, as time was precious and they couldn’t know when the Shadowlanders would return. As he began to walk, a voice pierced his head. It was so fabulous as to be unknowable, yet so plain as to be mundane simultaneously.

“It wasn’t me who said you were damned. But it’s an accurate sentiment, whoever said it.”

Argrave looked around at everyone else. They heard the voice, too.

“How are we damned?” Argrave looked back at the golem, though remained cautious that this thing was trying to keep him in one place to set him up.

“Gerechtigkeit will come again, as he always has. This time, however, he will not need to build his power from the beginning. He will regain the might that he had during every cycle, all at once.”

Argrave’s blood ran a little cold as he contemplated what that meant, but he still sought further explanation. “Regain his might, meaning…?”

been. All of his power, typically scattered cycle-by-cycle, will instead coalesce all at once. He will be as strong as every iteration combined. And all because of you, parasite. You simply

being speaking to him was being truthful, so he spat back, “Who are you to choose

his feet. “Yes, I admit it. You won a battle in our war.

if we don’t? If

on your

from the

confirmed. “Others remain, but I can guide us around

for their portal, yet again. We have only a while

on Amazon without permission from the author.

Anneliese trailed off, then raised her head with resolve. “I believe we have one more priority. We must track Dario. If he’s still alive, the information we get from him might be far more than what that possessed

I think Onychinusa would be perfect to help you out,

around, then cut off a head, then followed everybody else. I’ve still got the energy

Orion began, but Argrave cut him

you with us, Orion. Sophia’s safety is a large priority. I don’t know what’ll happen after we leave this portal, let

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Vysenn, but soon enough magma would flow over this place. With

closely. “Let’s go

#####

told Melanie. “You could not have known Dario was who he was when

says that it’s that?” Melanie protested, even though Anneliese did poke at the

the roof of the vast magma lake beneath Vysenn. This deep, pressure and heat both were intense, so they stayed wrapped in the Alchemist’s shield of air as they searched. Despite her protests, she did feel guilty that Dario—a man she’d met first, and failed to sus out he was suspicious—had led to the death of Castro. That man… he had that kind of power, and Melanie’s

the silence stretched, drifting through the hot caverns where Dario likely hid. “I’m

was honest, and that seemed to convince Anneliese

been known to indulge my curiosity now and again,” Anneliese nodded. “I can relate. But none of that matters if he slips

hiding, I think we’ll have some trouble. But I know a few of his