Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 646

Chapter 646: True Bravery

Elenore entered into Hause’s temple, escorting Sophia urgently yet gently. After Argrave’s fight with the Castellan of the Empty, this place had been rebuilt to be one of the strongest fortifications within Blackgard, acting as something of a bunker within the city. She felt a little terrified, but she held strong with Sophia to steel her resolve.

“The first wave of combatants sent after him have fallen,” she heard, Durran’s voice piercing her head. “It’s… it’s looking to be a difficult fight. I haven’t felt this since…”

“Since when, Durran?” she asked, trying to stay calm.

“Be safe,” he told her. “I’m going to be dedicating all of my attention to this.”

The connection ended. Elenore bit her lip when he told her to be safe, thinking that he was the one who deserved to heed those words. She looked to her left, where Vasilisa stood.

“Can you take care of Sophia? I need to coordinate things on my end with various figures.”

Vasilisa nodded intently, taking the cooperative Sophia deeper into the temple. Elenore wouldn’t be of any help when it came to protecting Sophia. Apparently, Sophia had reacted rather strongly to this attack. Now, she was mute sadness, like she expected some tragedy. To be truthful… Sophia wasn’t alone in feeling this.

All that she could think of was what Orion said. His talk about death coming for him—it bothered her the most. Durran was many things, but a sacrificial fool was not one of them. She trusted her husband would take care of himself. Orion, though… his idealized goals came long before self-preservation. She paced around the temple, knowing that she should contact others but lacking the focus amidst the whirlwind of her brain.

“What’s wrong, Princess Elenore?” She looked, and there Hause, goddess of potential, stood waiting with concern. “Can I do anything more to help than offering shelter?”

“No. No, you’re doing plenty.” Elenore shook her head quickly. “I just need to get my head in order.”

“I am capable of helping with that, too.”

Elenore took a deep breath, making sure no one else was around. “I simply have a deep feeling that something will go horribly wrong. Someone who’s usually right predicted as much.”

“Really?” Hause tilted her head, then walked in front of her. “Then it is truly nothing to worry about. Predictions are largely meaningless.”

her eyes. “False comforts don’t work on

accurately predicted the future. I have seen beings with the potential of universes within them be snuffed out early. I have seen those with no innate potential rise to be the most powerful person in the world, for a time. If the future was predetermined,

eyes, letting those soothing words reinforce her preconceived notions. Hause was right—Orion, regardless of what his intuition said, was no fortune teller. He was only a

a lie,” Elenore said with a nod. “Thank you for the reminder. Now… I believe it’s well past time

to a nearby bench placed in the serene temple, then sat. She was acutely aware of the pouch in her dress’ pocket—a pouch that contained a single golden fruit capable of changing the shape of everything. Though she seldom employed it, one of

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set Sophia down on the bed. This little girl—Argrave’s niece, officially, but she had red eyes and a strange power that made her question that fact. But there was no questioning she deserved to be called princess. Few were as gracious and kind as her, nor as

girl was trembling like a

in the presence of children that she

her black hair. “Speak to me. It’s all going to

it. I can’t stop it,

stop it.” Vasilisa shook her head. “That’s what all

Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on

stop it. I could go outside, and let him take me away. But… but I don’t want to go. I want to stay here. I want to stay with Anne and Argrave, and you, and Elenore, and uncle Orion…” She started to

coming?” Vasilisa asked. “How do you know

knight. The one that no one can defeat. The one that never gives up, no matter the adversity. He’s coming to take me away, like I always wished… but now,

or if there was some truth to it. She wasn’t entirely in the know… but she knew that Sophia was a subject of extreme concern to the king. And she knew that she needed to be protected,

She grabbed Sophia’s shoulder. “Fuc—forget knights, princess. Having met everyone you have, who serves underneath Argrave… do you really thing that one knight could break

If whatever was coming came for Sophia…

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that were adorned with brilliant red feathers concealed his face. He carried

behind this knight was utter carnage. As he came, the bombardment of all the S-rank spellcasters gathered in Blackgard assailed this foe. In simple, efficient movements, he received every attack that came all with the same unassailability, like no attack truly had any bearing on him. His shield never faltered, never showed any sign of weakness. And

his quick attacks a hundred—perhaps a thousandfold, as the light teaming within the blade projected out to enact his power. The landscape itself was transformed by his attacks. The mountains of Blackgard were barely

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