Jackal Among Snakes

As Argrave stared in stunned silence, Garm seemed to be having quite a few problems.

“How does one move their arm, again?” He studied Durran’s arms. “Quite nice arms, but my faculties appear to have eroded somewhat.”

“The same way you’re talking, I imagine.” Argrave studied him, trying his best to act as though this situation wasn’t abnormal.

Just then, Garm started to tip over, and Argrave lunged forward to catch him. As Garm laughed maniacally, he gently lowered him down to the floor of the rocking boat.

“I feel quite useless,” Garm said with a big smile on his face. “But this body is a nicer decoration than a stake piercing the bottom of my skull where my spine ought to be.”

Argrave studied Garm’s eyes intensely. Just from their way of talking, it was impossible to mistake Garm for Durran. “Why are you here? What did you two do?”

“Why? That’s quite abstract. If I knew, I wouldn’t have written you that stupid letter. ‘I don’t care for sappy stuff, but I wish for you to know I consider you a friend.’ Bleh.” He fake-vomited. “Why did I ever think to write that? Still, did you cry?”

Argrave looked away.

“Ahhh, I can see it. You cried like a bitch. Hahahahaha!” Garm laughed happily. “I’m here because the universe decided Durran is incompetent, and he can’t do the job alone. Why else?” He paused. “The man is very angry at me for saying so, but it’s true. You see, rummaging around in his body, I’ve figured things out about our powers. Oh, yes—powers.”

Argrave was alarmed by the possibility there might yet be more yet unpacked, but said nothing to draw attention. “Such as?”

“I understand how to listen to the voices of the dead. He doesn’t,” Garm explained simply. “If you take me back to where we were, with that woman crying over him—she looked a little like you, come to think of it—I could stand upright amidst the waves of death and decay, and parse the mystery from the misery.”

“You can’t stand upright now,” Argrave pointed out, thought felt disquieted when he wondered how they might explain this to Elenore.

“I’ll get the hang of it,” Garm coped. “Mastery over death—that’s what I bring to the table. It’s my power. Mine. Durran wasn’t man enough to use it—me, though, I’ve seen deaths uncountable. I’ve taken baths in blood—which is a rather ineffective skin treatment, despite rumors to the contrary. It seems he’s made a habit of tossing away perfectly good gifts. It’s quite the wasteful thing, to bestow the grandest necromantic soul of the age upon one who nigh entirely disregards his specialty.”

Argrave had been an attentive listener, and so asked a pertinent question. “You say that’s your power. What’s Durran’s?”

“His? He would know better. Oh!” Garm looked down at his hands. “I’m moving my fingers! No, they’re not ‘your fingers,’ Durran. At worst, I can call them ‘our fingers.’”

“Have him describe it,” Argrave pressed the issue. “You saw your power, locked within. What’s his?”

Garm listened, then relayed, “He says he doesn’t yet fully know yet, but he knows that it’s useful in combat, and it’s quite powerful.”

“Well…” Argrave nodded. “Maybe there’s someone I know that can help us out with this whole dilemma.”

“Who might that be?” Garm smiled pleasantly.

“You’ve met him,” Argrave replied simply. “As a matter of fact, you struck a deal with him behind my back. Do you remember that?”

“Durran?” Garm narrowed his eyes.

“Taller,” Argrave said, and took some joy in watching Garm’s face harden.

#####

The man stayed eerily still with extreme trepidation, not knowing just

Argrave

was destroyed and melded with Durran’s, and that hasn’t changed. The being that inhabits his shell is a manifestation of the imprint left behind, sustained by the Fruit of Being’s ability.

vim, then shrunk as Raven turned his

“Explain,” Raven demanded.

I know there’s a way to

“A corpse?”

condescended. “It’s like you, but

He contacted Elenore, asking, “Do you have any fresh, largely intact

said you had everything under

need a corpse,” he answered

a moment,” she

a corpse. Delivery driver is

should be reported

have them killed?”

aren’t lobsters.” Argrave glared at him. “We don’t cook with living ingredients,

Garm

#####

looked down at the corpse that Elenore had managed to rummage up. He was rather glad to see no fresh wounds inflicted by Elenore’s agents in their

complained. “Wrinkly, and sad. And what’s that

we can tell, and died in the streets less than an hour ago in Dirracha.” Argrave turned his gaze

spell. Argrave could tell at once that it was necromantic, and surely enough, the corpse shambled upward. Its eyes turned

but stumbled a bit. Argrave caught

even with a body,” Argrave ribbed as he brought Garm over. “Still relying

hard,” Garm jested without taking offence. He seemed

leaned forward and clung to it. The wizened corpse’s body

uhh…” Argrave looked around, not wanting to witness this strangely indecent scene

up the old man’s body. Argrave looked around again. He did not care to

get aroused, looks like,” Argrave commented. “This is what

part.” Garm continued for a few

not

her a zombie. The dead, for all their virtues, can’t give birth. Plenty of my colleagues with zero charisma tried… I, however, was quite the looker. I had no need to rely on such methods,” Garm said distantly as he focused on the task. “Oh. Oh! I think this is it,” Garm said

son?” Argrave asked

stake.” Garm stared into the corpse’s

ground, and Argrave gaped for a moment before rushing forward. Garm blinked open his eyes—or

Garm, Durran, whoever?” Argrave grabbed

away Argrave’s grip over his head.

side drew both their attention. The beggar’s corpse was moving again, and Argrave watched cautiously. It suddenly sat up with

in a tone identical to that which had been coming from Durran moments before with a different, aged voice. “This feels so much better than that idiot’s body. I feel alive! I

about. Garm laughed vigorously as he jumped from foot to foot, doing a slight dance. Argrave couldn’t help but join him in some mirth despite the morbidity of this