Jackal Among Snakes

Two days had passed since Orion’s wedding. These days were moments of respite, even amidst the bombardment from the sky tower above. Elenore had taken further measures behind the scenes to ensure the governor would be punished if he stepped out of line, but for now, they had contented him. The emperor was again drinking Ebonice tea, and Zen took this as a sign that they had neutered him. It was enough to earn his cooperation. But he wouldn’t be content to keep Ji Meng alive forever, and that was certainly something to consider.

Now, two matters loomed above this day while Orion brought Sun Li back to their homeland. The first was the strategy discussion for the taking of the Palace of Heaven. They had all but confirmed Governor Zen was working with Sataistador. Without proof, they weren’t yet ready to take this suspicion to the gods of the Blackgard Union, so for now they operated under the radar. As for the other matter… the alleged meeting with Traugott was intended to take place today.

Elenore’s investigation of the fake Norman’s rapid arrival in the opera house had reached a dead end. It had ended because all the members of the travelling troupe that Xueyan had been sourced from had been slain to the last man. Traugott hadn’t been subtle with them. They were burnt to crisps in the middle of the night, and with them, any further insights into his methods or network died. They investigated peripheral people, but garnered little information from them. Anyone who might’ve had more information either vanished or died mysteriously.

This whole ordeal reeked of Traugott’s meddling—and worse yet, someone powerful behind him. Argrave suspected Erlebnis. The methodology tracked. Despite all of that, Argrave intended to go through with the meeting. If Anneliese could lock Traugott in battle, it would be the end of him. That alone was worth the risk of whatever design the conniving spellcaster concocted.

For now, however, they stood within the wing of war in the imperial palace. Argrave, Anneliese, Galamon, and Elenore were having a discussion with the governor over a large map painted into a table. They had consulted Ji Meng before this conversation, but Zen offered surprising insight.

“The Palace of Heaven is located on the top of a fairly tall mountain range,” Zen explained to Argrave, leaning deep over the painted table. “This mountain range is near the perfect center of the nation, and marks the boundaries between what can be considered north and south, or east and west. There are two pathways to reach it, one from the north, the other from the south—they’re incredibly narrow, and both pathways are too steep for horses to traverse. They wind through the mountain in an ungainly fashion, and they’re defended by small outposts all along the way with weapons imbued with vital force. This is just the pathway to reach the fortress.” Zen’s finger traced a snaking road up the mountainside.

“It’d be hard to resupply. But then with Erlebnis as the garrison, supply wouldn’t matter… they don’t eat.” Argrave shook his head. He hoped Galamon might contribute, but the snow elf stared at the painted table in silence. “We have wyverns. They can be some edge for us in the ascent.”

Governor Zen stroked his sharp beard. “Do you think the fortress hasn’t dealt with fliers before, or dealt with supply constraints? There’s a vast food store beneath the castle: edible cave fungus. Unglamorous fare, but it never rots, grows slowly year by year… they could last for decades, eating that. As for your wyverns, the same person that built the divine-warding array beneath the imperial palace built something else up here.” The governor looked at them. “The Stormfield.”

Anneliese perked up, asking, “What might that be?”

“Ingenuity,” Governor Zen said simply. “It took me nearly a decade to mimic the array beneath the imperial palace. But no matter how much I studied the Stormfield, its secrets never revealed themselves to me. A shame, too, considering how useful replication of such a feat would be.” The governor calmed his enthusiasm, then explained, “The Stormfield personifies the Great Chu style of utilizing vital force. It calls upon the sky itself to rain the elements down infinitely wherever the array’s director wills it. Lightning, fire, ice, water—every second, any approaching army must contend with constant barrages. Each has the force of an S-rank spell.”

Argrave looked to Anneliese. “You heard what she did, didn’t you? She’s well used to assaults like that.”

“Weren’t you listening?” Elenore chided. “The man never said it created elements. He said it called upon them.”

Anneliese nodded in agreement. “Meaning… my [Life Cycle] may not be able to sap power from any spells that strike my wards.” She looked at the governor. “You studied this array—are the attacks that assail assaulting armies imbued with magic—excuse me, vital force?” she corrected her terminology for the present company.

in silence as

“If you

my

fire, ice—if this comes from the environment, there has to be limits to

waves.” The governor walked around the table, explaining. “Lightning is constant, and remains the deadliest of the attacks. First, it isolates and extracts heat from the air and whips up ice storms from the skies and snow dotting the peak. Deadly shards of ice move fast enough to pierce

can’t catch

turns all the ice into steam. And from the steam comes deadly assaults from condensed water from everywhere all at once. Mysteriously, all of the heat drains away, and the ice recrystallizes. From there, this cycle persists. Meanwhile, those within the Palace of Heaven exist in a temperate, pleasant climate, caked in wards of the highest caliber and with stone unbroken since their placement. There are countless

Road, this story

and cold, lightning raining down all the while. But there had to be a source, a limit, a fuel. Power, especially not power of that magnitude, didn’t come without

stopped?” Anneliese asked, giving voice to his

the Stormfield didn’t exist, Erlebnis and all of his divine servants remain within that fortress. It’s resisted the siege of gods with far lesser occupants. Once, an emperor protected it alone against an ancient

have his emissaries attack our armies. He’ll do it himself, with his own power, so you can’t stand at

and your blood echoes will be pivotal for this, Argrave.” Elenore crossed her arms, leaning up against the painted table.

two daggers from a location that might be deemed somewhat similar to the Palace of Heaven. Atop a mountain fortress,

catch lightning, storing

the daggers and looked at them. “I guess these would

fortress vulnerable to

It keeps the whole mountain stable.” Zen waited expectantly for further

armies, on foot, will take both passes. Veid and I

two paths. Dividing forces might seem imprudent… but then, that was what they wanted

no less—not a siege?” Argrave had to ask, unsure of the reasoning behind

attrition. We fight that way, we play their game,” he

seems like we’re playing their game, too,” Governor Zen argued. “No

most cases, I wouldn’t argue the point.” He looked at Argrave.

widened. “You want to empower warriors with