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.

#####

that the day passed without incident, but that was too good to be true. More and more Great Chu fortifications made the hills before them their home, and as more came, their temporary foes were willing to take more risks. They fired upon the fortress from above and below, mainly lobbing spells or, more mundanely,

looked rather neat. This one was no exception. It was a large

Argrave asked Anneliese. “Did

not a great abundance. I notice no overt traps. From all I can see, this

they call it a sea cave,” Argrave reminded her. “It’s got

was a salt mine,” Anneliese decided, still linked with her bond. “Tasting the walls… yes. Yes, definitely. It’s a salt mine. I suspect that’s why this cave opened—structural weakness due to mining, plus salt’s typical reaction to water.

their general mood? Anyone

much risk as they do. Even still, I’d expect some degree

cave 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 Order of the Gray

Royal Road, this story should be reported

front of the cave, holding the emperor’s dadao on his shoulder. He looked around before joining them. He spared greeting, saying, “Ordinarily

know a few. The Great Chu never

there were strange patterns in the rocks. Argrave thought it might be something else entirely, but as more senses—smell, even taste—assaulted him, he had to concede that the walls around were all made

of their drawn swords stabbed

up, surveying them. All eight commanders were S-rank spellcasters, and 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,

the late game. Their presence was minimal enough that many people—Argrave included—had

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 some magic into it, and Ji Meng’s magic signature flourished. “You may address me as

by the passive stone

son of heaven?” asked

putting the token away. “I understand that this extraordinary circumstance demands extraordinary actions. Each of you may disbelieve me as you will, but I can take you to the emperor in due time. The son of heaven has learned that the imperial court is extremely compromised. Perhaps all of you witnessed that days ago, when the gods did battle above our first clash. Or perhaps you had those doubts when word came down from on high