Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave conjured a wave of flames to meet Mozzahr as he crashed down at him with all the speed and strength of a meteor. He didn’t think it would do much damage—rather, he hoped to obscure visibility as he dodged so as not to betray his newfound ability, [Echo Step]. He warped near Sophia as he felt the tremendous impact shake the temple grounds, then scooped her up and watched Mozzahr warily as the Castellan of the Empty rose to face Argrave.

“Hause—fulfill your promise,” he directed the goddess. “Keep Sophia safe, just for a little bit.”

Hause, though overwhelmed by Sophia, still had many more years of experience with battle than he did. She took Sophia, then directed Sonia, “Evacuate the citizens, then rally the faithful. I shall fall back deeper.”

“Mister…!” Sophia called out, reaching for him.

“Sorry to show you an unpleasant sight. But I need you to behave, if only for a little bit,” Argrave told her.

Sophia went mute and nodded, and Argrave placed himself between Hause and Mozzahr as she headed deeper into her temple. Mozzahr looked at Argrave and shook his head.

“Thinking I’ll go for the girl? No. The tables have turned, King Argrave. Once, you attacked me in the heart of my power, to end me as a threat to your kingdom. Now, the roles have swapped. I hope not to underestimate you.”

“If you’re talking, you’re already doing that,” Argrave pointed out, studying Mozzahr as his blood echoes spread throughout the indoor garden in Hause’s temple.

Argrave could see the Castellan of the Empty bursting with his mysterious Emptiness. It emerged from his left eye, a faint teal energy that hued his face subtly in the dim light of this temple. Now, though, Mozzahr was better armored. He had armored himself in the faintly purple dwarven metal, which somewhat mitigated magic and the influence of spirits. Argrave saw he had a rapier made of a sharpened horn strapped to his left leg, and recognized it as a divine weapon.

passed down the method to work with dwarven metal like they were proud of it. I thought it disgraceful. I never

mildly impressed, and a little concerned, that Mozzahr had forged armor of dwarven metal to fight against Argrave. It wouldn’t be a life-or-death difference, but it was symbolic more than it was practical. And

had fought against Argrave, then Erlebnis, and endured whatever else it

echoes and used others to cast a simple, probing [Arc Whips] infused with blood essence. The coiling red arcs of electricity struck

given them the order to advance,” Elenore said, some shock in her voice. With Vasquer connecting her mind to his sister, she

should wait outside. If he leaves, have them prepared to hit hard and

too fast to simply side-step. He’s testing how I’m dodging. Argrave realized he could hide the secret no longer, so he swapped places with a nearby

from its original source, this story is not meant to be

short of any rapid reprisal. Argrave swapped places again, and when he did, Mozzahr unleashed a fell pulse of energy. It sheared through bushes, trees, and all the greenery in the garden until all was decimated. Argrave, however, sought refuge in the crawlspace that the elf had made. He commanded his blood echoes to mindlessly attack what remained

the temple had been ruined with their one exchange. To Argrave’s immense surprise Mozzahr spotted him in an instant and threw his rapier with tremendous grace. As it pierced the stone beneath him, Argrave conjured a ward with the ring on his finger by a long-instilled instinct. The sheening enchantment stopped the blade inches away from his gut, but

blew away great portions of the ceiling. Argrave retreated far. As thousands of pounds of dust, debris, and carnage fell, Mozzahr rushed into it all at Argrave with the same silent fury he’d had since the beginning. Argrave watched, wide-eyed, as it seemed to bury the Castellan of the Empty. Moments later he was denied rest as

point with his cold fury. Argrave could only teleport short distances away time and time again, the sheer speed and unrelenting

noted, not even breathless as he swung. “It’s a real fight. Not borrowed power, anymore. Your own. Your casting speed, this

rut. Noticing this, he changed his style immediately. Rather than projecting echoes behind and backstepping, he projected two forward and prepared a spell in his left hand. Mozzahr caught on immediately and stopped his

said—this was his own power,

toward his head. Argrave cast his spell in fearless defiance, an A-rank [Burst] infused with his own blood. Pain roared through his body as his very essence coursed into the spell, yet it empowered a deafening burst that intercepted the rapier and Mozzahr. His foe was ready to defend, however, and the powerful warrior took the blow extremely well. Argrave saw his armor shear away and his wrist break… but Mozzahr got distance and healed the wound with