Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave was having a moment rather similar to the distant past—something that inspired him to get into editing wikis to begin with. It was that feeling he got when he discovered something very fascinating about something he thought he was intimately familiar with. A wiki page for a character in a franchise that had a neat backstory, or a place in the world that inspired deep consideration; quite frankly, the wikis were often more compelling than the story itself.

His fascination was Llewellen. The man was an orphan of the ancient elven empire of which Onychinusa was the last descendant. Despite being an elf, he’d been made a slave to a spellcaster who he served for sixty-seven years. At the age of eighty, he embarked onto the path of magic. Rumor said it took him ten years to reach D-rank in magic. That detail had been confirmed in the dwarven music box that Anneliese had collected to learn his method of A-rank ascension.

To reach C-rank, however, it took him forty-two years. The time to reach B-rank was unknown, but again presumed to be several decades. With two hundred years of life under his belt by the time he got there, he was considered ancient for normal elves and quite old even for spellcasters. His magic affinity could be said to be among the worst. Most normal people could, with equivalent effort, reach much greater heights. If he were a human, he wouldn’t have reached that level at all.

But Llewellen bore a sobriquet. ‘Theorist.’ And that was what he was remembered for.

As Argrave read through his list of accomplishments, he recognized countless things he still used today that Llewellen had been a part of. He was responsible for the principles of moving and molding metal with earth magic, commonly used by the Order of the Rose, as well as most of their unique spells— [Electric Eel] among them. As it turned out, those were holdouts from the ancient elven empire. Llewellen had furthermore aided in the creation of most higher-level shamanic magics originating on this continent. Erlebnis credited him as the main pioneer behind all strength-enhancing enchantments used by the ancient elven empire, but his credit was stolen by another researcher of higher rank.

The list didn’t end there. He discovered druidic magic independently of the Veidimen, though never taught it to very many. He spent many years in the Great Chu, and was responsible for a great deal of their defensive systems—including, most notably, the forts that took their armies moments to construct and could self-destruct if taken by the enemy. The foundation of their recent military strategy came from an elf, if Erlebnis’ knowledge was to be believed. On top of that grand list, there was what Argrave had personally confirmed with others.

Anneliese’s A-rank ascension, [Life Cycle]. All of Raven’s knowledge about psychic magics. The imperial spells, including the spell parry [Requite] or the mental attack [Subjugate]. Even to this day, the mountain range that surrounded Blackgard was infused with magic from the A-rank ascension Llewellen had attempted. In a study where new contributions were singular, spread out among many hundreds and often hoarded for personal gain, Llewellen was a pillar of magical theory and the foundation for countless spells—even entire fields of magic.

His intelligence and skill, despite his considerable handicap, was such that Erlebnis himself had intended to reach out and recruit him for his cause. Unfortunately, he hadn’t survived until the cycle of judgment, so that conversation never occurred. He died ingloriously in an abandoned dwarven city that he might not inflict any innocent people with his fell power that was enough to shift even the landscape. Argrave had been the first to unearth him (in this reality, at least), and Anneliese had become the heir to his perfected A-rank ascension.

At the end of all these confirmed accomplishments, there were things he’d done that could make any decent spellcaster salivate. Rumors.

Rumor said that Llewellen had long been theorizing about spatial magic, psychic magic—both feats largely in the realm of gods, but Erlebnis had multiple accounts of Llewellen suggesting to others that the feats of the gods might not be so far from the hands of mortals. The Theorist wasn’t one to talk out of turn. There was evidence of that in [Subjugate]. Though a shamanic spell using spirits, it attacked the mind directly.

The problem was, Llewellen didn’t have a lair, a tower, or any convenient place where he kept his research that Argrave might pillage. He roamed—it was why he was able to talk to and influence so many people, but it also meant that a lot of that research was probably lost with him. The page Erlebnis had was filled with endless speculation about where the Theorist’s lost theories might be.

So, armed with this information, he returned to the one that had set him on this track.

was scrutinizing the sample taken from Vasquer. A strip of scales

more information about Llewellen, or did I waste my time reading all of that? Do you know where his theories about

man was a genius. No other magical practitioner reached his toes, even. If he’d been blessed with talent in magic as much as intellect, he would wipe the floor with all of us, today.” An eye formed on his elbow, and soon after, a mouth beneath it. “But then, perhaps

did you direct me there?” Argrave

tale has been taken without consent.

corner of the room. “I compiled them while you were reading. Furthermore, you have that spell, [Subjugate], that

Argrave shook his head.

it should be

for what?”

that you have the whole Order of the Gray Owl, and countless practitioners in the Great Chu, at your disposal?” Raven sneered at Argrave condescendingly. “It seems I do. If things are as

Argrave snapped his fingers. “Whip up, like

significant attention has not been diverted to it. People can pass by something useful for thousands of years, but until it’s scrutinized and experimented with, its potential is never known. Innovation comes from exceptional individuals who are generous enough to share their findings, or from focused direction from a higher authority. In this

knowledge of Erlebnis resting dormant in your head. If you can’t do something with that, you’re a dullard, imbecile, moron, and all other synonyms you might conjure. This world would amply deserve to be destroyed if someone so braindead could rise to the top.” Raven turned back to the

was never as simple as he said. Still… if magic might be viewed as technology, it had taken people countless millennia to rise from the point of using clubs and spears to something grandly complex like computers. Magic was at least as old as Erlebnis—one hundred and seventeen millennia—and likely far

Still, Argrave

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There were dark circles beneath

Order of the Gray Owl, however, is a different beast to wrangle. We have several individual Magisters we could entice, but you’d honestly need

He recalled her as being a good-natured Magister who

He wants vengeance, but I don’t think we can give it to him yet.” Elenore closed her eyes. “We have to announce Vasquer’s death. Then, we should hold her funeral not too long after. I believe that

that. Anneliese, or Durran,” Argrave suggested. “I think we can

“No. I want to do it.” She stayed silent for a while. Evidently reminding herself of Vasquer’s death had stirred up something, and