Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave stood atop the newly-built fortress in the Great Chu and watched the troops labor to repair the ships. Many had been badly hit by the brunt of that great wave of ice that had frozen the coastline of the Great Chu. He had spent the night here after a brief visit to a still distraught Sophia, and the ice had either broken from the tides or melted. Now, half a thousand ships that were no longer seaworthy were having that issue remedied.

“It’s done,” Elenore told Argrave, making him jolt.

“What’s done?” he answered back in his mind.

“Durran’s made contact with the Great Chu commanders,” Elenore disclosed somewhat proudly. “Well, correction—he isolated one, and from there, I’ll spare you the details. Doubtless he’d like to tell you his grand feats himself. Rather than parley officially with the troops’ knowledge, they’d like to have a meeting in a secluded place come nightfall.”

“Not shady at all. I think I’ll go alone, without telling anyone where I’m headed,” Argrave remarked sarcastically. “Fine. Where’s this going to take place?”

“A few miles east, there’s a large sea cave in a cove. They intend to meet you within it. Durran’s scouting out the place now, but I suggest you come amply prepared. Even if not all of these commanders intend to try something, one or two may. If I were the imperial court, I’d let the meeting proceed yet try something of my own.”

“A sea cave in a cove. Lots of ways to die in such a place. Would you collapse it on my head? Or maybe there’s already a secret base established there, and they plan to ambush us. Maybe they’ll just make it blow up, like all their fortresses. The possibilities are endless,” Argrave took a deep, uncertain breath.

“…you always try and act funny when you’re worried. It’s unbearable. I’ll look after Sophia, so stop worrying about her.”

After having read his soul, Elenore broke the connection and left him alone in this cold place. Some of his worries did fade at her promise, so he stopped trying to think about how to be witty now and instead focused on how to be witty later, when his wit might save him from the machinations of Ji Meng and all others of this place.

“Where’s Rook…” Argrave walked away with purpose, muttering.

#####

fortifications made the hills before them their home, and as more came, their temporary foes were willing to take

mostly because they always looked rather neat. This one was no exception. It was a large half-circle

the commanders present?” Argrave asked Anneliese. “Did

overt traps. From all I can see, this cave is only partially natural. There are

reminded her. “It’s got sea in it. Not the

this cave opened—structural weakness due to mining, plus salt’s typical reaction to water. Still, despite everything, there are no traps that I can

general mood?

could, they could escape via teleportation. We shoulder as much risk as they do. Even still, I’d expect some degree of trepidation in some of them. Perhaps they are

after Anneliese withdrew her bird. Rook was around, somewhere, keeping well out of sight as he protected and scouted for them. The Alchemist was contained within the Ravenstone, ready to aid. Durran and all of his wyvern riders—plus the

should be reported

before joining them. He spared greeting, saying, “Ordinarily I’d ask you what you know about these people, but your knowledge is a little lackluster on

few. The Great Chu never did something of

this sea cave, following the ocean alongside a smooth pathway. Durran kept the path illuminated with spell light. Just as Anneliese said, deeper within the cave there were strange patterns in the rocks. Argrave thought it might be something else entirely, but as more senses—smell, even taste—assaulted

position, their backs rigid. Two guards kneeled behind each, the points of their drawn swords stabbed in the ground. As for the commanders, their helmets were to their left, while their blades were to their right, both across the floor in a display of traditional parley that

each one had at least one guard of the same rank. Their blades were all enchanted to expel magic with extreme force. In the face of this overwhelming force, Argrave removed the black Inerrant Cloak around his shoulders, bunched it up, and placed it beneath his knees as he imitated their posture. Behind, Anneliese drew her sword from her staff and placed its point in the ground, kneeling to

them, but there wasn’t much to recognize—he remembered these people only as eternally-hostile bosses that appeared on the coast of Vasquer in the late game. Their presence was minimal enough that many people—Argrave included—had viewed them as walking katana dispensers, placed there for the sole purpose of allowing the player to roleplay as the edgelord they were always

took a deep breath and reached into his breast pocket. He pulled free a wooden token and held it in the air before them. “The emperor has named me Grand Commandant.” He willed

was greeted by the passive

son

The son of heaven has learned that