Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 708: Forever

When Argrave and Anneliese walked out of their tent, the first thing they noticed was that underfoot.

“Grass?” Anneliese questioned. “How long have we been asleep? A week, or…?”

The reason for the lack of sound became clear—a ward surrounded their tent, blocking all noise from entering. Even had it not been there, things probably would’ve been quiet. It was the dead of night. The red moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the place well. Hundreds and hundreds of tents alike their own had been set up. Fires rose elsewhere, where figures could vaguely be seen crowded around them.

Anneliese held her hand to the ward. Her A-rank ascension sapped the magic within it, and after a few moments, if faded away. Sounds rushed back to them—the dim call of the wind, the distant murmurs from tents and campfire, the sound of industry, of horses neighing… this place was a veritable city of tents.

Rapid movement alerted the both of them, and Argrave whipped his head to see what came. There, Raven—now fully human—stood with his obsidian staff. He watched them in total stillness as others came to join him—Lorena, Orion, Elenore. Their stunned surprise was self-evident.

Argrave gave a wave. “Hey.”

Both of Argrave’s siblings began to stampede over, while Raven and Lorena began a steady walk forward. Argrave and Anneliese were far too weak to resist the proceeding embrace, but they never would’ve anyway. Elenore and Orion both blubbered affectionately just as Anneliese and Argrave had been moments ago.

“I can’t really make sense of you,” Argrave told Elenore, stroking the back of her head. “I told you it’d be fine, didn’t I?”

Elenore struck him with love (somehow), while Orion squished the four of them together in a family embrace. As they were assaulted, Raven and Lorena walked up to speak a little clearer than the siblings.

“Permit them some surprise. I’ve been preparing them for the worst. After all, you’ve been entirely braindead the past ten days.” His gray eyes looked between them both. “Both of you. After what Sophia did, Argrave’s flesh reappeared, but both of your minds vanished.”

“What Sophia did?” Argrave repeated. “What do you mean? What’s happened? I mean… magic is here, and our connection persists.”

The pair went silent. Lorena touched Raven’s shoulder, saying, “I’ll get the others.”

“Is Sophia alright?” Anneliese asked. “Please, catch us up to speed.”

Raven planted his staff down into the ground, leaning against it. “Sophia wove Anneliese’s Spark of Eternity into our realm. She used it to rebirth magic just as it was. Beyond that, everything else a part of the cycle of judgment has seemingly faded. Divinity, spirits, shamanic magic, the Shadowlanders—all gone.”

“But is Sophia alright?” Argrave pressed.

“I’m unsure.” Raven looked away.

“Is she or isn’t she?” Argrave asked, voice stern and hard.

eating, Argrave,” Elenore explained, voice hoarse from the crying. “But she won’t say

of creation, too, has vanished,”

gripped Argrave’s collar, looking between

destroyed the primordial force of destruction.” Argrave

added pointedly. “But it was fine. I’m well used to it

and infinitely fatigued all in one. Orion

gray and lonesome without you two,” Orion said, voice still trembling.

joined them—Galamon, Durran, and the many friends of the years they spent in shared antagonism to the cycle of judgment. A deluge of emotion overwhelmed them all—smiles, tears, anger, grief, all

judgment had

cutting away shamanic magic from use. Gods that survived, such as Hause or Law, had returned to the mortal form they inhabited before they assumed divinity. All divine blessings had faded,

be the masters

its skeletal frame given life again by the Spark of Eternity. Sophia’s creation had woven that single spark into an everlasting magic, expending both primordial forces in the process. Beings that depended on magic would continue existing, and spellcasters would continue to be able to manipulate the fantastic,

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his expectations. The Heralds could never again exert their influence upon this world. Unsavory disciplines such as necromancy and soul magic

The Gilderwatchers survived. Humans, elves of the Bloodwoods, Veidimen, southron elves, dwarves—all survived, and given time, all could thrive. Losses were significant, certainly far

against the masters of their universe, and they had prevailed. And that freedom would not be taken

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like at all. It had been sitting here for five hours, and now dusk had fallen. Everyone around had been doing their best to make sure that she got nothing other than the best of the best, even amidst all of this… yet regardless of what came, all of it tasted

had experienced the full breadth of her own power, the beauty that was creation. She had

persisted.

their body, Raven claimed that there was nothing stirring in their minds. She had tried so hard to save Argrave, and in so doing, deprived the

her power of creation gone, she would never see them

that sucked in all other thoughts, until only the guilt and failure persisted. When, finally, she’d gained the strength of will

Why did everyone have to suffer for her? Her brother, every person that had tried to help her in Sandelabara,

wished she could

said someone as they sat across from her. “What’s that you’re

brain encountered an error and was forced

helping to sit down. “Good ol’ meat soup.” He reached across with a makeshift wooden spoon, taking some

do as

be eating that? I mean, what if she gets food poisoning? How long has that

fine,” Anneliese said

table they all sat at, then looked at Sophia with a